Russia Threatens Sweden With Military 'Consequences' If It Joins NATO Alliance, Report Says

Sweden will face military “consequences” if it decides to abandon its trademark neutrality and join the NATO alliance, Russian Ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev reportedly told a Swedish newspaper Thursday. Sweden has expressed growing concern in recent months amid a noticeable uptick in Russian military activity, both in Eastern Europe and in the waters off Sweden’s coast.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea last year and purported involvement in the eastern Ukraine conflict has led to calls in Sweden for increased cooperation with NATO.

Tatarintsev told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that Russia does not pose a threat to Sweden’s security and accused Swedish media outlets of an “aggressive propaganda campaign” against the Kremlin, according to a translation by the Local. But the ambassador warned that the country’s entrance into NATO would provoke a military response.

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