Putin 'Downplaying' After Initial Threats As Finland, Sweden Continue NATO Membership Push

NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel reports that Russian President Putin is "embarrassed" after his initial threats as Finland and Sweden continue to move forward on NATO membership.

MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, The ReidOut, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.

Connect with MSNBC Online

#Putin #Russia #NATO

[gregmiller]

thanks to putins war, russia now is losing their buffer zones..

[peterjeffery]

All that bluster was getting old anyway. Putin: "There will be SEVERE CONSEQUENCES if you join NATO!" Sweden & Finland: "Yah, whatever..".

[MrArtist]

Putin's downplaying because nearly 1/2 of his military is destroyed in Ukraine and knows how pathetic he and his military really are. Putin's like every other bully, just punch them in the face and they'll run away crying. The world couldn't be prouder of Ukraine, they've fought incredibly well and will keep fighting until Russia is completely out of their country.

[erikpeterson]

Finland and Sweden don't pose an immediate threat....Ukraine did? Putin logic.

[groovinhooves]

It's more likely at least in Finland's case that Putin is aware of just how prepared Finland is against a Russian land invasion. Just search "Finland" and "bunkers" and do some reading and dot-connecting...

[anghusmorgenholz]

Stand up to a bully. That is the only way to deal with them. Anything else only empowers them.

[vercoda]

Quirky side story which our American friends have probably missed: Russia V Ireland.

Last week, Russian state TV broadcast propaganda media showing the island of Ireland being obliterated by a special tsunami nuke (triggered off the northwest coast of Donegal), aimed at destroying Britain - a bit over there to the right, lads - with a radioactive gigantic tsunami hundreds of feet high, which would turn Ireland into Atlantis en route to destroying Britain, which the Russian state TV graphics showed.

Needless to say, that Russian state TV showing the total destruction of Ireland - not *currently* at war with Russia or, indeed, anywhere - sparked enormous anger in the Republic, with the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, calling on the Russians to apologise for their implied threat against the island of Ireland.

So, a couple of days ago, Russian state broadcasters did indeed apologise to Ireland (Republic), with a brazen Sorry (Not Sorry) segment, in which they showed the Taoiseach's irate words on screen, and then agreed, magnanimously, that an apology was needed -

By Britain, for (cough) attacking "peace-loving Russia" and "backing violent Ukrainians".

"Sorry (Not Sorry), People Of Ireland - Yours, Vlad."

We may yet have to deploy the Cork Fishermen to sort out the Russians...

Just thought you might enjoy some of the crazier antics that the Russians/Putin is also involved in at the moment - threatening the island of Ireland shows *enormous* thin-skinned weakness (with a touch of lunacy) on Putin's part.

You're welcome!

[evilfingers]

Finland and Sweden called Putin's Bluff.

[discreetanonymus]

What else can a bully (putin) do when his bullying doesn't work? 'I will take care of you later!' Sure, bring it on!

[Ganiscol]

Because he doesnt have anything to threaten anybody with. Just watch what Ukraine does to his "glorious Red Army" - pathetic!

[CetinAmsterdam]

Ukrainians made Putin know his boundaries🤪🇺🇦

[josephinenilsson]

“He can’t follow through on his threats”

Thanks for challenging him! Thanks a lot! 😂
/Sweden 🇸🇪

[MaxMisterC]

Hahaha!!!
Putin is a laughing stock
The Russian military is a joke
"Finlandization" is now a description of Russia! 😄🤪😂

[shiroamakusa]

He's gotten away with his bullying and intimdation tactics so often in his life that he doesn't know what to do when someone actually calls it.

[AnkhEmFentu]

Putin was doing Great until Trump loss his Office

[anotherguy]

Never ever(!!) Downplay anything what the russians says. That is a lesson learned by both Sweden and Finland during history. But both armies are now on high alert like never before and Putin knows that Sweden and Finland will not stand down and unlike the winter war, Sweden will be 100% together with Finland this time if it would ever come to that.

[Roblstar]

Plus if the Ukraine war is anything to go by? ...
The Finns would whoop them totally!

[kenairockband]

Best way to hit a bully is first, hard, and fast

[garykubodera]

Play stupid games win stupid prizes!!🙄

[davidbarnett]

Does Trump still think Putin made a genius move. Chuck Todd should ask him that question