Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko at a meeting in Sochi (Photo: AFP/VNA)

She said in a media interview that it must be built on the basis of international law and mutual respect.

Matviyenko said Russia will give an appropriate response to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, depending on the types of weapons deployed in those two states.

She said Russia’s security must be ensured against NATO expansion and the two countries' decision to join the alliance will have a negative impact on their cooperative ties with Russia.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin announced Wednesday that Ukraine's Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, currently controlled by Russian forces, will continue to operate.