Bucha, (Ukraine) – NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Marcos Perestrello and Secretary General Benedetta Berti attended the Bucha Summit held on 31 March 2026 in Ukraine. The gathering, chaired by the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk, brought together Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliaments, as well as presidents of international parliamentary assemblies. The Summit was also attended by the leadership of Ukraine, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Representatives convened in Bucha to honour and commemorate the victims and survivors of the atrocities committed by Russian troops in Bucha and across Ukraine. President Perestrello represented the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. In his remarks, he stressed: “We will never forget the war crimes that happened in Bucha. We will never forget the atrocities committed by Russian forces against the residents of Hostomel, Irpin, and Borodianka. We will never forget the mass graves in Bucha, Irpin, Izyum, Lyman, Kherson, and Mariupol.”
He underscored the continued importance of international support for Ukraine, adding: “We must also continue to stand with Ukraine – to intensify our support. Because this fight is about Ukraine, but it is also about the principles that underpin our own security: sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the rule of law.”
Bucha Summit, 2026: Read the full speech OF NATO PA President Marcos Perestrello
Marcos Perestrello (Portugal)
President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Address at the Second Bucha Summit 2026
Ukraine
31 March 2026
As delivered
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Marcos Perestrello (Portugal) President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Address at the Second Bucha Summit 2026 Ukraine 31 March 2026
Mr. Speaker, Excellencies and Esteemed Colleagues,
I am addressing you today in my capacity as the President of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly as well as on behalf of the Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament.
Russia has been waging a brutal, indiscriminate war of aggression, deliberately targeting
civilians and shattering civilian life. Standing here, we are reminded of the profound human
tragedy and of the brutal toll this war has taken on the Ukrainian people.
We will never forget the war crimes that happened in Bucha. We will never forget the atrocities
committed by Russian forces against the residents of Hostomel, Irpin, and Borodianka. We will
never forget the mass graves in Bucha, Irpin, Izyum, Lyman, Kherson, and Mariupol.
President Zelenskyy rightly said that “One of the most significant and most telling symbols of
the Russian system and this Russian war against Ukraine is the graves of ordinary people in
the yards of their own homes.” The deliberate pain inflicted on innocent civilians. The banality
of evil.
Bucha is a symbol of profound human tragedy, but it also shows the extraordinary strength
and resilience of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. This is a nation that refuses to be broken.
This is a nation that continues to fight not only for its own freedom, but for ours as well.
We all have a responsibility. To bear witness. To honour the victims. And to demand justice.
For every victim, every survivor, and every community affected by this war of aggression.
We must also continue to stand with Ukraine. To intensify our support. Because this fight is
about Ukraine. But it is also about the principles that underpin our own security: sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and the rule of law.
The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger it will be at the negotiating table. The
outcome of this war will shape the future of European security and the credibility of the
international system.
A just and durable peace cannot be built on concessions to the aggressor. It must be secured
through strength, unity, and resolve. Supporting Ukraine’s defence today is the only credible
path to peace tomorrow. We understand it very well at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, but
also at the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic.
The most recent polls confirm that, despite the geographical distance, the Portuguese people
have maintained firm support for Ukraine in the defense of its sovereignty and territorial
integrity. On the political front, cross-party majorities reaffirm this same sense of responsibility
— united in their unequivocal condemnation of Russian aggression, and their support for a
peace that does not sacrifice the fundamental principles of the international order.
Portugal is a steadfast supporter of the initiative to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime
of Aggression, and the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic consistently reiterates that
Russia’s leadership must be held accountable for the attacks perpetrated against the Ukrainian
people, for all the war crimes, crimes against humanity, acts of genocide and human rights
violations that have been extensively documented. We uphold Ukraine’s lawful right to demand
reparations for the human, material and environmental damage resulting from this aggression.
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As parliamentarians, we must continue to call on our governments, the European Union, and
NATO to act with urgency and significantly increase both military support for Ukraine as well
as pressure on Russia. The current levels of support have proven insufficient to force Russia
to commit to a sustainable political process. This is why we need to urgently provide Ukraine
with additional air-defence systems, air-to-air missiles, artillery shells, and long-range
capabilities. We must adopt laws that will ensure the military support continues. And we must
also strengthen sanctions, close loopholes, and ensure that those responsible pay a lasting
price.
Ruslan, friends,
You have our full support – not only in words, but in deeds. We stand with you today. We will
stand with you tomorrow. And we will stand with you until a just and lasting peace is secured.
Slava Ukraini.
What OSCE PA Prez Pere Joan Pons did atBucha Summit, 2026?
The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Pere Joan Pons participated in the Bucha Summit, 2026 and a series of high-level engagements in Kyiv today, including a meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reaffirming the Assembly’s unwavering support for Ukraine and underscoring the importance of accountability, justice, and continued international solidarity.
The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Pere Joan Pons participated in the Bucha Summit, 2026 (Ukraine).
Addressing the Bucha Summit, the President stressed that accountability remains indispensable for achieving justice and lasting peace. Delivering a clear political message, he stated that “what is at stake goes far beyond Ukraine” and called for a firm and collective response to ongoing violations of fundamental norms.
Meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv, 31 March 2026Participants at the Summit also heard testimonies from survivors of the 2022 events in Bucha and from those who lost their loved ones. These powerful and deeply moving accounts underscored the importance of preserving the memory of the victims and the shared moral duty to ensure that such atrocities are neither forgotten nor repeated.
Recalling his previous visits to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, as well as his recent engagements with victims of violence in Bucha, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and Srebrenica, the President underlined the Assembly’s continued unity and support, emphasizing the importance of preserving the memory of victims across conflicts. “I represent more than 300 parliamentarians, who in turn represent over one billion citizens. Throughout these years of aggression, we have stood by your side — united in the belief that supporting Ukraine means defending democracy, international law, and territorial integrity,” he said.
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“Four years later, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly remains united in our firm stand with Ukraine. Not with weapons — we are not a military alliance — but with political resolve,” Pons added. “We represent our societies, and together we can mobilize that resolve in our parliaments, our governments, and in our public debate. We raise awareness, mobilize resources, apply pressure, and defend what matters.”
Particular attention was drawn to the fate of Ukrainian children taken by Russia. “Every day they remain away is a day too long. They must be brought back — all of them,” he stated. “I also call for the immediate release of the three OSCE officials detained by Russia: Dmytro Shabanov, Maksym Petrov, and Vadym Golda. Their continued detention is unacceptable.”
The President also emphasized the importance of accountability and international justice, stating: “Finally, there can be no lasting peace without accountability. Sooner or later, the Putin regime must be held accountable before international courts.” Referring to upcoming efforts, he added: “This summer, in The Hague, we will again remind the world that these crimes must be judged.”
He further joined a meeting of Heads of Delegation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which participants exchanged views on the current security situation, Ukraine’s ongoing needs, and the importance of maintaining strong international political support. The President reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that Ukraine’s voice continues to be heard globally.
The Bucha Summit concluded with the adoption of a Joint Statement by participating parliamentary leaders and international parliamentary organizations, reaffirming their condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression and their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the principles of the UN Charter. The statement also underscored the need for full accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including through international mechanisms, and called for the return of deported Ukrainian children.
The Summit brought together Speakers of Parliament and senior representatives from across Europe and partner organizations, reflecting broad international support for Ukraine.
Remembering Bucha Requires More Than Just Sympathy; It Demands Decisions and Action – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Bucha Summit
Over the past four years, the list of Ukrainian cities and villages that Russia has brought war and death to has grown, and this means the need for far more determination and pressure on the Russian leader and on Russia. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address to participants of the Bucha Summit 2026. This year, 23 foreign delegations attended the event.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address to participants of the Bucha Summit 2026.
At the beginning of the summit, the hosts showed a video about the consequences of the Russian occupation of Bucha in 2022. The President noted that this is not only documented evidence of the atrocities committed by Russia’s leader and his army in Ukraine, not only a portrait and the true nature of today’s Russia, but also a certain assessment of the entire civilized world – of international institutions and law — and it is reflected not only in what has been seen, but also in what is still lacking.
“What is missing are the images of war criminals standing before a court, of every murderer hearing a verdict, of all those savages facing inevitable punishment for what they have done. We must do everything to ensure that this does not remain only in our statements, in our imagination, not only in the tears of our people, not only in emotions and on paper. Otherwise, the concept of justice will be devalued. Only by defending the truth and restoring justice will the world have a chance for a peaceful future,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State stressed that Russia does not want to stop the war as long as it has two things: oil, which gives the money to kill, and impunity, which sends the message that they can carry on as before.
“Today, Ukraine is doing this through its own capabilities – through its own deep strikes – while the world can and must do it through sanctions. It must restore the rule of law and limit the rule of force. Every country in Europe needs legal mechanisms that make it possible to stop Russia. To stop tankers, to confiscate Russian oil, to stop Russia’s lackeys and servants around the world – and there are some in Europe – to stop the Kremlin’s special operations on the continent,” the President stressed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that remembering Bucha requires more than just sympathy; it demands decisions and action. This means the swiftest possible launch of a Special Tribunal, an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, the return of children abducted by Russia, the impossibility of forgetting and forgiving the aggressor.
“The inevitability of consequences for all Russian criminals in the future – when all those who committed atrocities, both in Bucha and across Ukraine, receive sentences, not Schengen visas or political asylum. Otherwise, both in Ukraine and anywhere in Europe, there will always be a risk of new aggression, a new invasion, a new Bucha. All of us in Europe have the right to live without fear. This right must be upheld,” the Head of State said.
The President stressed that it is impossible to forget or dismiss everything Ukraine has endured – the catastrophe of every Ukrainian city and village where Russia brought war and death, including Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Mariupol, Yahidne, Avdiivka, Olenivka, Vuhledar, Chasiv Yar, and many others.
“From the first summit until today, this list has, unfortunately, grown. This means one thing: we need far more determination, far more pressure on Putin and Russia, and far more real actions and steps that bring the victory of peace and justice closer,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
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