TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin praised Taiwan’s courage on Tuesday, saying democracies must not let fear weaken their commitment to defending democratic values, CNA reported.
Speaking at the 2026 Ketagalan Forum, Marin said smaller countries become more vulnerable when international rules and respect for human rights and sovereignty break down. She said yielding to powerful countries out of fear cannot bring lasting peace or prosperity.
Marin praised Taiwan for defending democratic principles and said Finland understands the pressure of living beside a much larger and potentially hostile neighbor. She said Finland shares a border of more than 1,340 kilometers with Russia, the longest among EU and NATO members.
She said Finland’s history of wars with Russia has made the country highly aware of security risks. Marin said alliances, strong defense capabilities, national unity, and military readiness can help deter aggression.
Marin said Finland maintained military conscription and continued investing in defense even as many European countries reduced military spending after the Soviet Union collapsed, according to UDN. She said those decisions helped Finland preserve its ability to respond to security threats.
She said countries also face threats beyond conventional warfare, including information campaigns aimed at influencing public opinion. Education, civic skills, and trust in public institutions are important for helping societies withstand such pressure, she said.
Marin pointed to Russia’s war against Ukraine as an example of how economic dependence can become a source of political pressure. She said Russia reduced natural gas supplies to Europe early in the war, contributing to inflation, hurting businesses, and affecting political debate, per Liberty Times.
Countries should diversify supplies of critical goods, strengthen energy infrastructure, and improve technological capabilities, Marin said. She said governments should also identify strategic weaknesses that stronger countries could exploit, per Yahoo News.
Marin said democracies must take greater responsibility for their own security and cooperate more closely to protect their future.
