Russia says Sweden, Finland joining NATO won't bring stability to Europe
On April 6, 2022 a photo shows a sculpture and flag at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Russia said on April 11 that the possible accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO military alliance would not bring stability to Europe.
When asked about the possibility of Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Kremlin spokeswoman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the alliance is a tool geared toward confrontation and that it will not bring stability to the European continent.
The Times reported earlier that Finland and Sweden appear poised to join NATO as early as the summer.
A senior US State Department official said last week that the prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO was part of the discussion among foreign ministers from the military alliance in Brussels.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held face-to-face talks with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on April 11, who became the first leader of a European Union country to visit Moscow since the special military operation began in Ukraine in late February.
On April 10, Nehammer wrote on Twitter before the talks that they were militarily neutral but have a clear position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It needs humanitarian corridors. The talks were held behind closed doors. The Austrian chancellor met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on April 9, during a trip by Nehammer to Ukraine.
Neutral Austria has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as helmets and body armor for civilians, rather than weapons.
On April 11, a government spokesperson said on April 11 that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed the meeting of his counterparts in Moscow and supports any diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
One day earlier, Zelensky had a phone call with Scholz to discuss defense and financial support for Ukraine.
On April 11, US President Joe Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of an effort to urge world leaders to take a hard line against Russia.
India's neutral stance in Ukraine has raised concerns in Washington, according to The Associated Press.
India continues to purchase Russian energy supplies despite Western countries not buying Russian oil and gas. The US is considering sanctions against India for its recent purchase of advanced Russian air defense systems.
Russia has destroyed S-300 antiaircraft missile systems that were supplied by a European country to Ukraine, Russia s Defense Ministry said on April 11.
The ministry said Russian missiles launched by Kalibr on April 10 destroyed four S-300 launchers concealed in a hangar on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Russia did not say which European country had supplied the S-300 systems.
Military developments come as an EU oil embargo on Russia draws nearer.
On April 11, the European Union s executive is drafting proposals for a possible EU oil embargo on Russia, the foreign ministers of Ireland, Lithuania and the Netherlands said, although there is still no agreement to ban Russian crude.
In new forecasts released on April 10th, the World Bank said that Ukraine's economy will shrink by 45.1 percent this year.
The economic consequences of the conflict are also felt across the region. The World Bank says that the developing countries of Europe and Central Asia will see a 4.1 percent decline in GDP, while Eastern Europe is expected to suffer a 30.7 percent drop in GDP.