Russia envoy summoned after threatening Sweden over NATO bid

Stockholm, March 29 (AFP/APP): Sweden said Wednesday it was summoning the Russian ambassador after he said it and neighbouring Finland would become a “legitimate target” of “retaliatory measures” — including military ones — if they join NATO.

The Nordic neighbours ended decades of military non-alignment last May when they decided to join the Atlantic alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Finland and Sweden will become “legitimate targets” of Russian “retaliatory measures” once they join NATO, Russian ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev warned Tuesday.

But Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said “the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will summon the Russian ambassador to make a clear statement against this blatant attempt at influence.

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