The government approved on Wednesday an invite to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make a speech to the Portuguese parliament. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will thus formally invite the Ukrainian president to make a speech to the parliament via video call.
The Party of the People, Animals, and Nature (PAN) proposed the invite on March 16 and it has been accepted by most Portuguese parties. However, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) voted against the proposal.
Aprovada hoje, por maioria, a proposta do PAN para receber Zelensky, presidente da Ucrânia, no Parlamento português. 🙌https://t.co/08r1uh6jkf
— PAN (@Partido_PAN) April 6, 2022
PCP member of parliament Paula Santos told CNN that the “Portuguese parliament’s role should not contribute to the escalation of the war, to confrontation, to conflict, but rather a role that promotes peace”. She continued to say that PCP seeks “to promote a cease-fire” through a negotiated solution, criticizing the sanctions applied to Russia. She goes on to say the party does not forget “NATO and the United States”, believing they are looking for an “arms race” that will not end the war.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has made speeches to parliaments all over the world, such as to the Spanish parliament on Tuesday.
