Russia has been branded the “most significant and direct threat” to European security and peace, as tensions between Moscow and the Western world continue to ramp up.

The UK renewed its strong condemnation of Vladimir Putin‘s unlawful aggression against Ukraine as it struck a Strategic Partnership with Finland.

One paragraph in the joint declaration read: “Putin’s Russia is the most significant and direct threat to our security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. “Russia’s illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the European security environment and is a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter and the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“It underlines the importance of our partnership and the need to deny Russia any benefit from the war it started.”

The ongoing aid in support of Ukraine “will help Ukraine to defeat Russia” and rebuild its prosperity and deterrence, the declaration added.

The agreement was announced on May 21 and officially endorsed by UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen.

Lord Cameron said in a statement following the announcement: “As long-standing partners and new NATO allies, the UK’s relationship with Finland is going from strength to strength.

“As we stand together to support Ukraine, including through providing military aid and training, we are clear that the threat of Russian aggression, following the war it started, will not be tolerated.

“This Strategic Partnership, built on our shared values, will see the UK and Finland step up cooperation to bolster European security as well as seize new opportunities, from science and technology to closer energy ties.”

The partnership, the declaration read, will also see Helsinki and London collaborate against the threats Russia presents to the West, including “disinformation, malicious cyber activities, hybrid threats and campaigns and all other efforts to destabilise our societies”.

This partnership comes as fears Russia may soon attack another European nation persist.

Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the West was “playing with fire” – and mentioned the UK in its warning.

In a statement in which the Kremlin blamed London and Washington for escalating the conflict by authorising Kyiv to use their long-range rockets against Russian targets, the ministry said: “Once again, we should like to unequivocally warn Washington, London, Brussels and other Western capitals, as well as Kyiv, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered.”