Russia will perceive Sweden and Finland's NATO membership as another eastward move by the alliance that would further encircle it in the Baltic region. Moscow will respond with disruptive measures, but a direct conflict between Russia and Sweden or Finland is not feasible at this time. Russia has sent mixed messages regarding how it perceives the prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO, suggesting that while it did not perceive the possibility as an existential threat, the move would force Moscow to increase arms deployments to the Baltic region. This in turn would raise the odds of accidental clashes between Russian and Western forces, though the risk exists regardless given the growing importance of the Baltic Sea and Arctic to military competition and training .