Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said his visit to Kyiv today (December 20) carries special significance as Ukraine remains at war, stressing that Portugal wanted to show support “from the very first minute”.
Speaking to journalists on arrival at Kyiv railway station shortly after 8am (6am in Lisbon), Montenegro said the visit was intended to convey “an expression of Portuguese support” and affection for the Ukrainian people.
“This visit is, above all, an expression that Portugal has stood by Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” he said.
The prime minister acknowledged that, despite several visits to Ukraine since taking office, this trip had particular weight. He described Ukraine as a country that “has been attacked, is being attacked, invaded and is at war”, adding that it is, therefore, in greater need of solidarity and closeness.
Montenegro said Ukraine also requires continued financial assistance. “Ukraine needs financial support. There is no point in ignoring that,” he said.
He highlighted Portugal’s contribution through bilateral support programmes, including humanitarian, social, military and political assistance. He also underlined the importance of relations between the two countries’ communities, saying governments have a duty to express the feelings of their citizens.
Luís Montenegro arrived in Kyiv for a one-day visit that includes meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
This is Montenegro’s first visit to Ukraine since becoming head of government in April 2024. It follows Zelensky’s visit to Portugal in May 2024 and comes nearly three years after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The Portuguese prime minister travelled overnight by train from Medyka, Poland, accompanied by Defence Minister Nuno Melo, arriving in Kyiv at 08:13 local time.
Source: Diário de Notícias
