After annexing Crimea and with troops massed on the border of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin will not stop trying to expand Russia until he has “conquered” Belarus, the Baltic states and Finland, one of his closest former advisers has said.

According to Andrej Illarionov, the President’s chief economic adviser from 2000 to 2005, Mr Putin seeks to create “historical justice” with a return to the days of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Soviet Union under Stalin.

Speaking to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, Mr Illarionov warned that Russia will argue that the granting of independence to Finland in 1917 was an act of “treason against national interests”.

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“Putin’s view is that he protects what belongs to him and his predecessors,” Mr Illarionov said.

“Parts of Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Finland are states where Putin claims to have ownership.

He added: “The West’s leaders seem, from what they say, entirely to have forgotten that there are some leaders in the world who want to conquer other countries.”

Mr Illarionov has helped draft a host of Russia’s economic policies in recent years, and served as Mr Putin’s personal representative at a number of G8 conferences. He is now a senior fellow at the Cato institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity in Washington.

Finland is not a Nato member, meaning a Russian invasion would not be considered an attack against the alliance. The commander of the Finnish air force has said it has increased surveillance operations over the Baltic Sea in recent weeks.

The Scandinavian nation was part of the Russian empire for 108 years as an autonomous Grand Duchy. Asked if Mr Putin posed an immediate threat to what is now a stalwart of the EU, Mr Illarionov said: “It is not on Putin's agenda today or tomorrow.

Shape Created with Sketch. Crimea referendum and independence Show all 14 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Crimea referendum and independence 1/14 Crimea Referendum A man shows his shirt with the Russian emblem as he celebrates the results of the Crimean referendum at the Lenin Square in Simferopol EPA 2/14 Crimea Referendum An elderly retired Soviet Navy officer and his wife take a walk in Sevastopol the morning after the referendum AFP/Getty 3/14 Crimea Referendum A man plays accordion as people dance during celebrations in Sevastopol AFP 4/14 Crimea Referendum People wave Russian flags as fireworks explode in the sky over Sevastopol following the announcement of the result of the referendum EPA 5/14 Crimea Referendum A member of a Ukrainian "Maidan" self-defense battalion takes part in training to qualify for service in the newly-created National Guard. Reuters 6/14 Crimea Referendum Pro-Russian protesters hold a Russian, Crimean and Soviet flags during their rally at Lenin Square in Simferopol, Ukraine EPA 7/14 Crimea Referendum A member of the Crimean election commission waits for voters at the polling station in Belogorsk near Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 8/14 Crimea Referendum Polling stations opened in Crimea for a referendum about whether the Ukrainian Black Sea region should join Russia. The vote has been widely condemned by Western governments, who call it illegal and have announced sanctions against Russia if it goes ahead. Thousands of unmarked forces, believed to be Russian, have appeared in Crimea after local Moscow-backed authorities asked Russia for protection against 'extremists' in the new Ukrainian leadership EPA 9/14 Crimea Referendum A lettering on the facade of the Council of Ministers building reads 'Spring in Crimea' in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 10/14 Crimea Referendum People wave Crimean flags at Lenin square in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 11/14 Crimea Referendum A poster in Crimea presents a stark choice - Nazism, or Russia - to voters ahead of the referendum 12/14 Crimea Referendum Protesters against Ukraine’s referendum gather in Simferopol Getty Images 13/14 Crimea Referendum Action stations: Preparations for today’s referendum in Simferopol, where Crimea will vote to become part of Russia AP 14/14 Crimea Referendum Cossacks guard the regional parliament building in Simferopol during the Crimean referendum AP 1/14 Crimea Referendum A man shows his shirt with the Russian emblem as he celebrates the results of the Crimean referendum at the Lenin Square in Simferopol EPA 2/14 Crimea Referendum An elderly retired Soviet Navy officer and his wife take a walk in Sevastopol the morning after the referendum AFP/Getty 3/14 Crimea Referendum A man plays accordion as people dance during celebrations in Sevastopol AFP 4/14 Crimea Referendum People wave Russian flags as fireworks explode in the sky over Sevastopol following the announcement of the result of the referendum EPA 5/14 Crimea Referendum A member of a Ukrainian "Maidan" self-defense battalion takes part in training to qualify for service in the newly-created National Guard. Reuters 6/14 Crimea Referendum Pro-Russian protesters hold a Russian, Crimean and Soviet flags during their rally at Lenin Square in Simferopol, Ukraine EPA 7/14 Crimea Referendum A member of the Crimean election commission waits for voters at the polling station in Belogorsk near Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 8/14 Crimea Referendum Polling stations opened in Crimea for a referendum about whether the Ukrainian Black Sea region should join Russia. The vote has been widely condemned by Western governments, who call it illegal and have announced sanctions against Russia if it goes ahead. Thousands of unmarked forces, believed to be Russian, have appeared in Crimea after local Moscow-backed authorities asked Russia for protection against 'extremists' in the new Ukrainian leadership EPA 9/14 Crimea Referendum A lettering on the facade of the Council of Ministers building reads 'Spring in Crimea' in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 10/14 Crimea Referendum People wave Crimean flags at Lenin square in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine EPA 11/14 Crimea Referendum A poster in Crimea presents a stark choice - Nazism, or Russia - to voters ahead of the referendum 12/14 Crimea Referendum Protesters against Ukraine’s referendum gather in Simferopol Getty Images 13/14 Crimea Referendum Action stations: Preparations for today’s referendum in Simferopol, where Crimea will vote to become part of Russia AP 14/14 Crimea Referendum Cossacks guard the regional parliament building in Simferopol during the Crimean referendum AP

“But if Putin is not stopped, the issue will be brought sooner or later. Putin has said several times that the Bolsheviks and Communists made big mistakes. He could well say that the Bolsheviks in 1917 committed treason against Russian national interests by granting Finland's independence.”

On the subject of what can be done to stop the progress of Russian expansion, Mr Illarionov said sanctions had helped rather than hindered Mr Putin because they “confirm his view of the world” – and that of “the Kremlin’s propaganda”.

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“We must offer resistance by all means available,” he said. “I'm not a bloodthirsty person, but there is sometimes no other way than military power to stop an opponent. The only answer to pure aggression is demonstrating willingness to offer a collective defence.”