Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow has “no interest” in attacking a NATO member and called U.S. President Joe Biden’s warning that Russia would do so if it wins the war in Ukraine “complete nonsense.”
Biden earlier this month warned that “if Putin takes Ukraine, he won’t stop there,” and will attack NATO countries resulting in “American troops fighting Russian troops.”
Putin said Biden’s words were just an attempt to support “mistaken policy” toward Russia and the war in Ukraine.
“It is complete nonsense — and I think President Biden understands that,” Putin said during an interview published Sunday by Rossiya state television.
“Russia has no reason, no interest — no geopolitical interest, neither economic, political nor military — to fight with NATO countries,” Putin said.
In the interview, Putin also warned of “problems” with Finland after the EU country joined NATO.
“Did we have any disputes with them? All disputes, including territorial ones in the mid-20th century, have long been solved,” Putin said. But “now there will be, because now we are going to create the Leningrad military district and concentrate certain military units there,” he said.
In mid-November, Finland began closing its 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, accusing Moscow of pushing asylum seekers, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, toward the Nordic country.
Tommaso Lecca
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