Kremlin Blasts Finland Joining French-Led Nuclear Deterrent Initiative: ‘Real Risks’

Russia’s foreign ministry has issued key warnings to Western officials and nations on Tuesday. The ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova addressed recent provocative actions and signaling among NATO allies, which could lead to more nuclear saber-rattling. 

She weighed in on a widely reported French security initiative to bring European countries under its nuclear umbrella at a moment Washington is seen as taking a step back from NATO leadership amid Trump complaints Europe is not shouldering enough of the burden.

Zakharova blasted Paris’ pursuit of this alternative plan as a “reckless” policy that was “creating risks” for Moscow.

“Of course, this is creating risks for us. And of course, we must control it,” she told a press briefing. This isn’t the first such condemnation, after President Macron began getting more vocal about a French nuclear-sharing program throughout this summer.

Zakharova new warning is largely in response to what’s happening in neighboring Finland (Russia shares an over 800-long far northern border with the Scandinavian country).

Stars & Stripes reports “Finland will join a French-led effort to strengthen Europe’s nuclear deterrent, adding another NATO member to a group of countries looking to Paris as a potential backstop to the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen unveiled the provocative move on Monday. “Europe must assume a greater role both in conventional defense and in nuclear burden sharing.“ 

“Discussions on reinforcing nuclear deterrence and strengthening the security of Europe are essential for Finland’s defense.”

Finland is the 10th country to join the French “Forward Deterrence” initiative, after it June it took the historic step of lifting a moratorium on stationing nuclear weapons on its territory.

Earlier this year, Hakkanen alleged Russian militarization of the border: “They are building new military facilities along our border, same as the Cold War. It would be wise to watch the Arctic and build Arctic capabilities” for deterrence, the defense chief had claimed in February.

The last thing the world needs at this moment of raging war in Iran and the Persian Gulf region is another round of nuclear saber-rattling related to that other raging hotspot – the Ukraine conflict, but that’s precisely what is happening.