Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin says she would be prepared to return to politics if Finland faced a national emergency, although she considers another election campaign unlikely.
In an interview published on Sunday by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Marin said she would make herself available if the country faced a serious threat, giving a possible Russian attack as an example.
“For example, if Russia attacked us,” Marin said, according to the newspaper.
Marin served as Finland’s prime minister from December 2019 until June 2023, a period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During her time in office, Finland applied to join NATO and became a member of the military alliance in April 2023, ending decades of military non-alignment.
She left Finnish national politics later in 2023 and took up a role as a strategic adviser at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
Her latest comments suggest that, despite stepping away from elected office, she remains willing to serve Finland again under exceptional circumstances. However, she did not announce plans to return to active politics or confirm any intention to contest a future election.
Marin said she takes the security threat posed by Russia seriously. She described Russian President Vladimir Putin as seeking to restore Russia’s power and rebuild its military capabilities, warning that other European countries could also face a Russian attack in the near future.
“No one is safe,” she said, according to the newspaper.
The former prime minister also called for Europe to speed up the modernisation of its armed forces. She singled out drone technology as an area requiring further development as European countries respond to changing military threats.
On airspace security, Marin said Russian fighter jets violating European airspace should be shot down. Her position reflects a hard line on responding to such incidents, although the practical response to an airspace violation depends on the circumstances and the decisions of the countries involved.
Finland’s security position has changed significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The invasion prompted Finland to abandon its long-standing policy of military non-alignment and seek NATO membership alongside Sweden, which joined the alliance in March 2024.
Marin’s remarks come as European governments continue to assess the risks posed by Russia and debate how quickly their armed forces should adapt to new military technologies and security challenges. Her comments do not amount to a political comeback announcement, but they leave open the possibility that she could reconsider her departure from public office if Finland’s security were seriously threatened.
