President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal Augusto Santos Silva who is on a visit to Kyiv at the head of a parliamentary delegation.
The Head of State thanked Augusto Santos Silva, the Parliament and the Government of Portugal for the decisions and practical steps in support of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia. In particular, the President emphasized the importance of Portugal's support for the decision to grant Ukraine the status of the EU candidate, the Euro-Atlantic course of Ukraine and the strengthening of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to Portugal for providing shelter to tens of thousands of Ukrainians who were forced to flee the war. "Most importantly, I would like to thank your society, which, thanks to the actions of the government and parliament, was united in support of Ukraine and Ukrainians. This is a very important signal of faith in Ukraine," he said.
The President of Ukraine and the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal discussed the interaction between Ukraine and Portugal on the path of Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO. The Head of State emphasized the importance of starting negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU by the end of this year.
"This will be a powerful incentive for Ukrainian society and Ukrainian defenders who have been holding back the aggressor for more than 14 months," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President outlined Ukraine's expectations from the NATO Summit in Vilnius, in particular, the creation of a mechanism of effective security guarantees for the period until Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.
Special attention was paid to the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula. The President thanked for Portugal's support of Ukraine's peace initiatives, particularly within the UN.
"Ukraine is interested in involving as many countries as possible in the holding of the Global Peace Summit," the Head of State noted. He expressed hope that Portugal would actively support Ukraine's efforts in the preparation of the Peace Summit.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked for the security support provided by Portugal, including the transfer of Leopard 2 tanks. He informed the delegation of the Portuguese Parliament about the priority needs of Ukrainian defenders in the context of preparing for a counteroffensive. The President expressed hope that the Government and the Parliament of Portugal would be able to make the necessary decisions to enhance the capabilities of Ukrainian defenders on the frontline.
The President emphasized the willingness of our country to enhance political dialogue with the Portuguese Republic. The parties also discussed the upcoming high-level bilateral events.