Embassy in Kyiv to reopen as soon as security situation permits

Portugal has decided to resume diplomatic activities in Kyiv and the embassy in the Ukrainian capital will return to full functions as soon as the security situation allows, probably within a few weeks, the Foreign Minister announced on Monday.

“Portugal has taken the decision to request the return of the ambassador and embassy to Kyiv as soon as conditions allow,” Cravinho said as he left a meeting of European Union heads of diplomacy in Luxembourg.

The Minister considered that this was “a very important political signal” and that “it had been requested by [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and also by [EU High Representative Josep] Borrell, following the visit that he and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made last Friday to Kyiv”.

“And so we will resume activities in Kyiv as soon as the conditions for that are in place, hopefully soon,” he said.

Asked whether this will then take place within days or weeks, the diplomatic chief replied that “more likely weeks, because first an analysis of the security situation is underway by several countries, and by the EU itself.”

“But as soon as the conditions are met, hopefully soon, our embassy will return to full function in Kyiv,” he added.

This announcement comes after last Friday, in Kyiv, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy announced the return of the EU ambassador to the Ukrainian capital, so that the European bloc and Ukraine can “work together even more directly and closely”.

“The European Union is returning to Kyiv. I say it literally: our head of delegation has returned to Kiev, so that we can work together even more directly and closely,” Josep Borrell announced.

As he left the Ministerial meeting this Monday, Gomes Cravinho also announced, “regarding the military support that has been requested by Kyiv”, that “Portugal will do its part”, by sending additional material.

“Portugal will continue to give military support. Two flights of military equipment have already been sent and a third will be sent soon.”

Last Thursday, at a meeting of NATO heads of diplomacy in Brussels attended by Ukrainian foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Gomes Cravinho said that Portugal would respond to his request for “arms, arms, arms” from the Allies to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian military aggression and a major offensive in the east, in the Donbass region.

“Portugal will respond to Minister Kuleba’s request, namely in terms of sending more arms and ammunition. We don’t have heavy weapons that we can supply, other countries will and we collectively will support them,” Gomes Cravinho said then.

Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24 that has killed at least 1,793 civilians, including 176 children, and wounded 2,439, including 336 minors, according to the latest figures from the UN, which warns that the actual number of civilian casualties is likely to be much higher.

The war has already caused an undetermined number of military casualties and the flight of more than 11 million people, including 4.5 million to neighbouring countries.

The Russian invasion has been condemned by the international community in general, which has responded by sending arms to Ukraine and strengthening economic and political sanctions against Moscow.