Portugal’s president calls Defence Council meeting after Russia sends military in
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has called a meeting of his Supreme Council for National Defence for Thursday.
The president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has called a meeting of his Supreme Council for National Defence for this Thursday at the presidential palace in Lisbon, he told Lusa.
“As I am following what is happening in Eastern Europe, in permanent contact with the prime minister, I decided to immediately convene the Supreme Council for National Defence for 12 today, at the Belém Palace in Lisbon, holding the session in person for all advisers who can attend, but also by video conference for those whose participation in person is not possible,” de Sousa told Lusa.
The head of state, who is also the supreme commander of Portugal’s armed forces, added: “This was the immediate response that was required, according to the monitoring done together with the prime minister and what was also the position and the request of the government, corresponding to the vision that I had and that I have of the situation experienced.
“I would like to say to the Portuguese that those who are responsible for the situation as a result of their vote are not only attentive but also willing to act in a way that is up to the circumstances, within the framework of constitutional order, stability and the response that those circumstances may determine,” he also said.
The president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, had earlier announced the start of a military operation in eastern Ukraine, claiming it is intended to protect ethnic Russian civilians in the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which he recognised as independent on Monday.
Reacting to the decision, Portugal’s prime minister wrote on his account on the social media network Twitter that he “strongly condemned” Russia’s military action in Ukraine and would hold a meeting with his defence and foreign ministers.
Also on Twitter, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warned today that the Kremlin will be “held accountable” for its actions.
An extraordinary summit of European Union heads of state and government is scheduled for later in Brussels at 8 pm local time.
On Wednesday evening the first EU sanctions on Russia came into force in reaction to the recognition of the independence of separatist-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine.
