Country’s support for Ukraine remains “for as long as it takes”, insists Marcelo
Twelve Portuguese towns and cities have been marking the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Lisbon hosting the opening of an exhibition about Ukrainian children by Portuguese photojournalists, while a demonstration takes place, between Rossio and Praça do Município.
According to information provided by the Ukrainian Embassy in Portugal, the inauguration of the exhibition by photojournalists opened at 3pm in Rossio after which the demonstration, with a 30-metre Ukrainian flag, got underway.
The 24-panel photo exhibition is designed not just to denounce the “terrible suffering of children in this war, but to alert the world to the urgent safeguarding of humanist values and the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human and Children’s Rights”.
Maryna Mykhailenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Portugal, has invited a number of diplomats based in Portugal to attend today’s initiatives in the capital.
Elsewhere – from north to south – there are other events taking place: in Porto (Gomes Teixeira Square), Coimbra (Republic Square), Faro (Manuel Bívar Garden), Santarém (Liberdade Garden), Albufeira (Rua do Município), Funchal (Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre), Águeda (Municipality Square), Viseu (Republic Square) and Portimão (Town Hall).
Morning events took place in Peniche (Rua Tenente Valadim) and Lagoa (Rua 25 de Abril).
Late this afternoon, back in Lisbon, a vigil is being organised by Amnesty International Portugal.
The conflict that shows no sign of drawing to a close in the immediate future is being marked in many other cities across the world, with populations all expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people
London, Berlin, Warsaw, Paris and Belgrade are just some of the cities that have actions planned.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on 24 February 2022, has plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since the Second World War (1939-1945).
Ukraine’s Western allies have been supplying arms to Kiev and approving successive sanctions packages against Russian interests in an attempt to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort, but nothing, so far, has succeeded in giving Ukraine the upper hand, nor in persuading Russia to re-think a strategy that has already seen terrible loss of life, on both sides.
The conflict – now entering its third year – appears to see both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy every bit as determined to continue as they have been for the last two tragic years, while Western leaders, including Portugal’s (both President Marcelo and the outgoing prime minister) all say their support for Ukraine will continue “for as long as it takes”.
That said, there are serious problems in keeping Ukrainian soldiers supplied with the munitions they need – while a massive aid package (worth €88 billion) drawn up by the United States, remains in legislative limbo.
Source material: LUSA
