During their meeting on Tuesday in Kyiv, the Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament, Augusto Santos Silva, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked about Portugal’s role in connecting with nations in Latin America and Africa as well as Ukraine’s potential membership in the European Union.
Santos Silva called the discussion with Volodymyr Zelenskyy “very useful” and underlined the point “where it became clearer” the value that Portugal provides to the political and diplomatic management of this crisis. He was speaking to Lusa by telephone from Kyiv, where he is on an official visit.
“Perhaps the most important point of the meeting had to do with the role that Portugal plays – and can play more of – in the dialogue with the countries of the southern hemisphere,” he said. “In particular, with the countries of Latin America and Africa, with which we have very close ties, and to which we have conveyed our position on Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
The speaker emphasized that the transparency of the Portuguese position had been known from the very beginning, when the first condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was issued.
“And it is common knowledge that a number of nations in Latin America and Africa have voiced their skepticism over this conflict, frequently claiming that it is Europe’s war and not their own. It is essential to keep a dialogue going with these countries in order to demonstrate to them that the rules-based international order that we defend is also at stake in this situation, he said.
During the meeting, the process of Ukraine’s application to join the EU – which already has the status of candidate country – was discussed. Santos Silva complimented Zelenskyy for the way that his country has been doing “its part with great determination,” and another of the topics that were present in the conversation were the prospects for cooperation between Ukraine and NATO.
He remarked that “the focus right now is the war that we have to stop on the condition that it is necessary: the cessation of hostilities by Russia and the withdrawal from occupied Ukrainian territory.” “It is evident that the focus right now is the war that we have to stop on the condition that it is necessary.”
In the plenary session of the Ukrainian parliament that will take place on Wednesday, the speaker will make an intervention.
On this visit, Santos Silva will be accompanied by a parliamentary delegation consisting of the parliamentary leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party, Eurico Brilhante Dias, Jorge Paulo de Oliveira (PSD), Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo (IL), and Isabel Pires (BE). However, there will be no representatives present from the far-right Chega or the Portuguese Communist Party.
President of the Portuguese parliament is in Kiev today and Wednesday
