Finland's prime minister says Ukraine must win, Finland needs NATO, and Europe must end authoritarian dependencies.
Ukraine must win, or invasion becomes profitableMarin argues a Russian victory would signal that attacking a neighbour wins territory and natural resources, so allies must send the opposite message.
NATO membership is Finland's security answerHaving fought Russia before, Finland wants Article 5 and applied with Sweden, and Marin says both should join together as they share one security environment.
Europe must cut dependencies on authoritarian regimesFrom Russian energy to Chinese semiconductors, she urges governments and private businesses to run ten-year risk analyses rather than decouple overnight.
Executive SummaryAI
Sana Marin opens by describing three years in office defined by the pandemic, then Putin's war in Ukraine and the energy crisis it caused across Europe.
On the war itself she refuses to predict an end date but insists Ukraine must win, because a Russian victory would tell every country that invasion pays in land and natural resources; any negotiation, she says, is Ukraine's to decide while allies supply arms, money and humanitarian aid.
She explains that Finland and Sweden applied to NATO because Finland never wants war on its soil again and wants the Article 5 guarantee, and says she is sure there would be no war today had Ukraine already been a member; Hungary has promised to ratify when its parliamentary period starts and Turkey's objections, she says, should not block either country.
On energy she concedes Europe cannot convert its whole system in one or two years and must still buy coal, gas and oil on global markets, but argues every new investment should go to the green transition, as Finland has done with a diversified mix and wind power.
Facing Finnish elections and criticism over debt, she points to employment reaching 75%, the government's original target, while warning that high debt and high interest rates across the eurozone are a shared risk; asked about her gender and age, she says the crises would have looked the same under a male prime minister.
Key Quote
“And we have to send a message that is opposite, that Russia will lose.”
— Sana Marin
Key Quote
“If there isn't rules in the world, what can we depend on?”
— Sana Marin
Key Quote
“That's for Ukraine to decide. We only need to support.”