Finland will be the first country to suffer in the event of an escalation of tensions between Russia and NATO due to its proximity to the former, the RIA news agency cited a senior Russian diplomat as saying on Thursday.

Finland joined NATO this year after maintaining a neutral status for decades, a move which Russia says turned Helsinki into a hostile actor in its view.

Finland joins NATO in historic shift sparked by Russia’s war

“They had lived calmly and in peace and suddenly ended up between Russia and NATO as a member of that alliance, but since they are our neighbours, if, God forbid there is some escalation, they will be the first to suffer,” Mikhail Ulyanov, permanent representative of Russia to international organisations in Vienna, told RIA.

Russia warned Finland this month over a new defence agreement granting the United States broad access to the vicinity of the Finnish border with Russia.