Speaking to the media in Paris, when asked about the news that the United States of America predicts that Russia will launch an attack on Ukraine within days, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied: "I will not comment on this matter".

"It's a matter on which I take the position that I don't comment on it, even in Portugal. Because they are very sensitive issues", he added.

Asked if he advises the Portuguese who are in Ukraine to leave the country, the head of state said: "I don't advise anything on this matter."

"Therefore, there is no public pronouncement on this matter, either at this moment, or at another time, or here in this situation - which is a cultural meeting between Portugal and France - or perhaps in another situation", reinforced Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The President of the Republic spoke to journalists after the inauguration of a work by Portuguese artist Pedro Cabrita Reis, within the scope of the "Portugal-France 2022 Season".

Faced with the insistence that he comment on the current situation in Ukraine, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reiterated his option not to speak in public on this topic: "You have noticed that I have resisted speaking out on the matter and I am resisting speaking out on the matter, which means that I understand that I should not comment on it".

Asked if he talked about Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that "when the presidents of two brother countries meet, everything is talked about".

"Portugal follows what France is doing, France follows what Portugal is doing", he continued.

The President of the Republic pointed out that "France has a universal presence" and, regarding Portugal's role at the international level, he considered that "it is not by chance that the Secretary-General of the United Nations is a Portuguese".