Ex-Finnish PM Sanna Marin visits site of Bucha massacre in war-torn Ukraine after quitting politics to join Tony Blair Institute

Former Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin has shared photos on Instagram of her visit to war-torn Ukraine this week - in a trip reminiscent of her time in the top job. 

Marin, 38, who resigned as leader of Finland's Social Democrats last September to join the Tony Blair Institute, was in Bucha, the site of the mass murder of around 500 Ukrainians at the start of the war in March 2022.

She was in the city with the HALO Trust, which works globally to clear unexploded landmines. In Ukraine, Marin says around 19,000 explosives have been neutralised since the war with Russia began.  

While in the war-torn country, the ex-Finnish PM - who was just 34 when she took office in 2019 - also had a brief return to diplomacy as she met with the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

She said: 'I had the opportunity to engage in numerous discussions about the state of the war, reconstruction, and Ukraine's European future. 

Former Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin this week visited war-torn Ukraine to meet with top ministers - and watch efforts to clear unexploded mines

'It was also very interesting to visit a humanitarian de-mining site in Bucha, where an international organisation HALO Trust works to make war-torn areas safe safe by clearing landmines and other explosives.'

Dusting off her political hat for a moment, Marin posed for photographs with Mr Shmyhal, and sat down for talks with the Finnish ambassador to Ukraine over lunch.

She said: 'It was a great honour 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.

'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.'

Marin announced she was stepping down as leader of Finland's Social Democrats last September, to instead work as a strategic councillor for the Tony Blair Institute. 

Dusting off her political hat for a moment, Marin posed for photographs with Mr Shmyhal, and sat down for talks with the Finnish ambassador to Ukraine over lunch

Marin, 38, who resigned as leader of Finland 's Social Democrats last September to join the Tony Blair Institute, was in Bucha, the site of the mass murder of around 500 Ukrainians at the start of the war in March 2022

Marin announced she was stepping down as leader of Finland's Social Democrats last September, to instead work as a strategic councillor for the Tony Blair Institute

It could be that Marin is missing being in the thick of diplomacy after she was photographed on the ground in war-torn Ukraine this week

As Finland's prime minister, Marin was one of Europe's youngest leaders, and oversaw her country's successful application to officially join NATO.

Announcing her resignation from politics, Marin told Finnish broadcaster YLE that it was 'time to move on'.

She said: 'I am eager to step into a new role. I also believe that it can benefit the whole of Finland. I believe that I can serve those voters [in Finland] well and maybe even better in the new assignment'.

But it could be that Marin is missing being in the thick of diplomacy after she was photographed on the ground in war-torn Ukraine this week.

The 38-year-old said: 'I had the privilege of visiting a mine clearance site alongside First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Yulia Svyrydenko.'

Announcing her resignation from politics, Marin told Finnish broadcaster YLE that it was 'time to move on'

As Finland's prime minister, Marin was one of Europe's youngest leaders, and oversaw her country's successful application to officially join NATO