Portugal to Assist Ukraine in War Crimes Investigation

President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday morning. 

According to Publico, The head of state landed in Kyiv from Poland at 7:30 AM (local time) or 5:30 AM in Portugal.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa disembarked at Kyiv's railway station accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, the President's Chief of Staff, Fernando Frutuoso de Melo, Ambassadors Maria Amélia Paiva and Jorge Silva Lopes, former leader of the Socialist Party, João Soares, historian José Pacheco Pereira, and businessman Luís Delgado.

Marcelo stated that his visit to Kyiv aims to express solidarity with Ukraine and to participate in the celebrations of Independence Day on Thursday.

After arriving in Kyiv, the President continued his trip to the Ukrainian town of Bucha, where he declared that "delayed justice is not justice" and promised Portugal's support in investigating the crime of aggression. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visited the Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha, a town on the outskirts of Kyiv that was occupied by Russian forces in the initial days of the invasion. A mass grave containing 190 bodies was discovered in the churchyard.

"Delayed justice is not justice," Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated after the commemoration ceremony. The President of Portugal, accompanied by Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, visited an exhibition in the church that documented the discovery of the bodies.

"Ukraine is considering the possibility of establishing a court to address the crime of aggression. Many countries are participating in the process, and Portugal has been involved," added the Portuguese head of state. "There are no precedents for swift success," he noted, underlining Portugal's commitment to making this a reality.

According to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the events in Bucha were "profoundly inhumane," and he added that the "initial shock has not faded throughout this time."

"We can do this; we can support the investigation," stated the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs in response to a request from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.

Furthermore, this Wednesday, the President of Portugal will participate in a summit organized by Ukraine on the topic of Crimea's restoration and has planned a visit to an institution addressing the serious issue of Ukrainian children who have become orphans or separated from their families due to the war.

Marcelo obtained permission from the Assembly of the Republic to visit Ukraine from Tuesday, the 22nd, to Friday, the 25th of August, as he announced during his visit to Poland: "I requested it and was authorized." For security reasons, the exact time of the President's arrival in Ukraine was not disclosed in advance.