Prime Minister Marin at Munich Security Conference: cooperation among democracies most important

Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin attended the Munich Security Conference on Saturday 18 February. The agenda included several high-level discussions and meetings with world leaders.

Prime Minister Marin had a trilateral meeting with US Vice-President Kamala Harris and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The topics discussed were the progress of Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership process and the strong support of the United States for their future membership in the defence alliance. Vice-President Harris and the Prime Ministers also discussed the importance of transatlantic cooperation in supporting Ukraine and, more broadly, in responding to global challenges.

“The values of a free and democratic world are being challenged on the international stage in a way that requires determined action with a long-term perspective. This is why it is so important to continue our support to Ukraine that is on the frontline of the war,” Prime Minister Marin says. 
 
Together with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister Marin attended a panel discussion on Europe’s geopolitical position in the world. In the discussion Marin emphasised that in today’s world Europe cannot afford to be naive. Europe must make determined efforts to reduce its critical dependencies and invest in the European defence industry. In Marin’s view, Europe made a mistake when it did not react more strongly to Russia’s criminal occupation of Crimea in 2014.

Prime Minister Marin also attended a panel discussion with the title ‘One Year Later: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom and What’s Next’. Her message in this panel was that comprehensive support to Ukraine must be continued for as long as necessary for Ukraine to achieve a just peace. The terms of the peace must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Other panellists were Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, President-elect of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Staff Writer Anne Applebaum and Director of the CIA (2011-2012) and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute David H. Petraeus.

This year, the Munich Security Conference presented the highly respected Ewald von Kleist award to Finland and Sweden for their historic decisions to apply for NATO membership. Prime Minister Marin received the prize at a gala event together with President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and former Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

During the conference, Prime Minister Marin had bilateral meetings with Bill Gates, founder of the Microsoft software company, German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen and Minister of Defence Mikko Savola also attended the Security Conference.
 
Inquiries: Lauri Voionmaa, Special Adviser (international affairs), tel. +358 295 160 306 and Saara Pokki, Special Adviser (EU affairs), tel. +358 50 478 6363, Prime Minister’s Office