Russia on Tuesday announced it was expelling two Finnish diplomats in a retaliatory move after the Nordic country expelled two of its diplomats last month and as it now pursues steps to join NATO, angering Moscow further.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the expulsion of its diplomats was carried out "as part of an anti-Russian sanctions campaign by the EU." Moscow also criticized Finnish arms deliveries to Ukraine and Finland's "confrontational course towards Russia."
In view of Russia's war on Ukraine, Finland is ending a decadeslong tradition of nonalignment and plans to join NATO. With an overwhelming majority, the Finnish parliament on Tuesday approved an application for membership in the Western military alliance.
Joining NATO would be a huge shift for Sweden and Finland. Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for more than 200 years, while Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Soviet Union in World War II.
Russia has repeatedly warned its Nordic neighbors that their joining the alliance would have negative repercussions. The Swedish prime minister warned citizens to brace themselves for potential disruptive moves by Russia, including disinformation and attempts to intimidate and divide the country.