Sanna Marin

"Finland should urgently apply for NATO membership"

"This consensus provides a good foundation for building our future as a NATO member, With our decision, we have strengthened Finland’s position and broadened our room for manoeuvre in a situation where it was at risk of narrowing and even being compromised altogether."

"Together, we have defended our values and taken the necessary actions on our own terms. I hope that as a nation, we can be proud of this."

"Russia may have started this war, but they will not win it. A world where undemocratic powers subjugate other states, in blatant disregard of the UN Charter and human suffering, is a world we must leave behind forever. Russia’s friends are now few and far between."

"We must strengthen our strategic autonomy – that is, Europe’s self-sufficiency – our resilience and our global partnerships, especially with other democracies."

"Strategic autonomy also means defending our values. It is in Finland’s interests to help build a stronger Europe, especially now, when the world is crying out for defenders of human rights, equality and cooperation."

"I encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote, as free elections are the cornerstone and foundation of a democratic society. Finland is worth fighting for, but it is also worth voting for."

"Make no mistake, if Russia wins its terrible gamble, it will not be the only one to feel empowered."

"We all have worries when it comes to China and we must make sure that we dont have that kind of critical dependencies when it comes to China."

"I must be brutally honest with you, Europe isnt strong enough right now. We would be in trouble without the United States."

"The United States has given a lot of weapons, a lot of financial aid, a lot of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Europe isnt strong enough yet."

"This war (by Russia) against a sovereign European nation (Ukraine) puts the European security order at risk. In this changing security environment, Finland and Sweden will further enhance their cooperation."