MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of “problems” with neighboring Finland after it joined NATO earlier this year, saying Moscow will create a new military district in north-west Russia in response, in an interview published Sunday. “They (the West) dragged Finland into NATO. Did we have any disputes with them? All disputes, including territorial ones in the mid-20th century, have long been solved,” Putin told a state TV reporter.

“There were no problems there, now there will be, because we will create the Leningrad military district and concentrate a certain amount of military units there.” The comments come as Finland again shut its border with Russia this week, accusing it of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its border.

Finland said Friday it will sign a defense agreement this week giving the United States access to 15 military bases in NATO’s newest member. “The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) is to be signed in Washington DC” on Monday by Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the foreign affairs ministry said. The treaty must then be approved by the Nordic country’s parliament.

“The DCA will strengthen Finland’s defense because it enables the presence and training of US forces and the prepositioning of defense material in the territory of Finland,” the foreign ministry continued. “It will also support the implementation of NATO’s deterrence and defense.”

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen will be present in Washington during the signing to meet Blinken. The United States signed a similar pact with Sweden on December 6 that gives Washington access to 17 military bases.

Moscow has warned of counter-measures to Helsinki’s NATO accession. Putin also said Russia had no reason to be at war with NATO countries, after US leader Joe Biden said this month that Moscow “won’t stop” in Ukraine if it is successful there. “It is rhetoric to justify false policy on Russia,” Putin said.

He said Moscow had “no interest — either in geopolitical, economic or military terms — to fight with NATO countries.” The Kremlin’s Ukraine campaign has reawakened fears of Russian aggression in the eastern flank of NATO. — AFP