The State Department commented on Russia's reaction to the possible expansion of NATO

“There is no change because we believe that NATO's open door policy is an open door policy.

And it is up to the NATO alliance and only the NATO alliance to decide what membership looks like, ”Price answered the question about the change in the US position after Moscow’s statements, TASS quoted him as saying.

He also recalled the need to comply with a number of criteria for joining NATO.

“There is a set of criteria that any candidate country must meet and meet before it is in a position to join the alliance,” Price said.

As The Times wrote earlier, citing US officials, Sweden and Finland intend to join NATO this summer.

The Kremlin said that NATO expansion will not bring additional security to Europe.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would have to strengthen the borders if Sweden and Finland join NATO.

In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko noted that the likely entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO would seriously worsen the situation in the military sphere and lead to undesirable consequences.