CNBC: Russia Threatens Retaliation as Finland Moves to Join NATO

Smith NATO Secretary General ░░░░░░░░ Finland would be warmly ░░░░░░░░ in He is promising ░░░░░░░░ smooth and swift process ░░░░░░░░ the country applies for ░░░░░░░░ It could happen Sunday ░░░░░░░░ a vote on Monday ░░░░░░░░ James Stavridis now former ░░░░░░░░ Supreme Admiral Commander admiral ░░░░░░░░ know it is rich ░░░░░░░░ irony Putin creating what ░░░░░░░░ was trying to prevent ░░░░░░░░ they are talking retaliation ░░░░░░░░ to expect admiral STAVRIDIS ░░░░░░░░ think it s a ░░░░░░░░ threat They really don ░░░░░░░░ have the military capability ░░░░░░░░ Fins are very well ░░░░░░░░ kinetically militarily Shep The ░░░░░░░░ are also experts at ░░░░░░░░ defense which would be ░░░░░░░░ another avenue for Russia ░░░░░░░░ are a superb military ░░░░░░░░ I was Supreme Allied ░░░░░░░░ they deployed to Afghanistan ░░░░░░░░ part of our mission ░░░░░░░░ so I have commanded ░░░░░░░░ troops in combat and ░░░░░░░░ Swedish troops They are ░░░░░░░░ They are well financed ░░░░░░░░ you add up those ░░░░░░░░ defense budgets Sweden and ░░░░░░░░ Shep it is about ░░░░░░░░ third of Russia s ░░░░░░░░ budget so a huge ░░░░░░░░ up Smith It s ░░░░░░░░ incredible Look at this ░░░░░░░░ The green Finland there ░░░░░░░░ the map 800 more ░░░░░░░░ of NATO butting up ░░░░░░░░ Russia How big of ░░░░░░░░ game changer is that ░░░░░░░░ Very helpful for the ░░░░░░░░ Gives us the ability ░░░░░░░░ base forces up there ░░░░░░░░ conduct military operations Also ░░░░░░░░ important in access to ░░░░░░░░ Arctic which I think ░░░░░░░░ going to be another ░░░░░░░░ of competition between NATO ░░░░░░░░ Russia And finally Shep ░░░░░░░░ is a lot of ░░░░░░░░ here If you go ░░░░░░░░ to 1939 the Soviet ░░░░░░░░ invaded Finland much like ░░░░░░░░ invasion Ukraine experienced The ░░░░░░░░ fought them to a ░░░░░░░░ The promise that Russia ░░░░░░░░ after that was neutrality ░░░░░░░░ is the ultimate irony ░░░░░░░░ do I welcome Finland ░░░░░░░░ the alliance Smith It ░░░░░░░░ incredible to see the ░░░░░░░░ of miscalculations by Vladimir ░░░░░░░░ First thinking he could ░░░░░░░░ Kyiv and take it ░░░░░░░░ thinking that he could ░░░░░░░░ NATO weaker and maybe ░░░░░░░░ it break off Germany ░░░░░░░░ off a weak President ░░░░░░░░ None of it has ░░░░░░░░ Huge miscalculation STAVRIDIS Across ░░░░░░░░ board And I will ░░░░░░░░ add to your excellent ░░░░░░░░ he has caused Germany ░░░░░░░░ double their defense budget ░░░░░░░░ NATO nation has now ░░░░░░░░ to hit its 2 ░░░░░░░░ that we have been ░░░░░░░░ for years And of ░░░░░░░░ he grossly underestimated the ░░░░░░░░ which are building to ░░░░░░░░ gas and oil ultimately ░░░░░░░░ going to be shut ░░░░░░░░ There is not going ░░░░░░░░ be anything whistling through ░░░░░░░░ Stream 2 but air ░░░░░░░░ Smith A bear backed ░░░░░░░░ the corner after all ░░░░░░░░ mistakes It does you ░░░░░░░░ it puts the antennas ░░░░░░░░ STAVRIDIS It does indeed ░░░░░░░░ we have to be ░░░░░░░░ about this And ultimately ░░░░░░░░ think there s ways ░░░░░░░░ can negotiate a conclusion ░░░░░░░░ but I think that ░░░░░░░░ months away at best ░░░░░░░░ Admiral Stavridis as always ░░░░░░░░ you.”