Sanna Marin Instagram – I am grateful for the opportunity to visit Ukraine 🇺🇦 for the third time since the war started, this time in my capacity as Strategic Coucillor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change to express the Institute’s support and solidarity with Ukraine in its fight against the illegal and unjust attack it is facing. In my visit, I had the opportunity to engage in numerous discussions about the state of the war, reconstruction, and Ukraine’s European future. It was also very interesting to visit a humanitarian demining site in Bucha, where an international organization HALO Trust works to make war-torn areas safe safe by clearing landmines and other explosives. In this context, it was a great honor to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna as well as students of Kyiv School of Economics and many brave people working in the country. Thank you also to Finnish Ambassador to Ukraine Jaakko Lehtovirta for good discussions over lunch. With more than two years of brutal war, the need for international attention is more crucial than ever. In order to win the war, Ukraine needs even further political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. Sanctions must be enforced. In my new role in TBI, I am committed to supporting Ukraine especially in its path towards the membership of the European Union. The question of Ukraine is a question of Europe. European integration for areas facing Russian aggression and threat is vital for the security and future of our continent as a whole. Europe must send a clear message: Acts of aggression and oppression cannot result in the creation of buffer zones or grey territories. It will only lead to more integrated european continent sharing respect for peace, stability and international law as well as the right of sovereign nations to choose their own future. Ukraine’s accession to the European Union will not only benefit Ukrainian people, but also strengthen the European project, peace and stability.