Portugal Welcomes 33 Ukrainian War Families for Peace

After a grueling 20-hour bus journey under military escort through closed roads, then a flight from Warsaw, 33 Ukrainian refugees touched down in Lisbon with hope packed alongside their suitcases.

The group includes mothers, children aged five to 14, and one grandmother. All are relatives of soldiers who died or went missing in the ongoing conflict. Many come from the Chernihivska region near the Russian border, where fighting remains intense and curfews govern daily life.

"We really want these children to be able to experience peace during their time here," said Rita Júdice, Portugal's Minister of Justice, who greeted them at the airport. "Many of them have no memory other than that of war."

The three-week program comes from HelpUA.PT, a Ukrainian support organization working under the European Programme for Psychological and Cultural Support for Families at War. Portuguese and Ukrainian psychologists, therapists, and volunteers will provide intensive rehabilitation and support at the Fénix center in Ourém.

Teresa Leal Coelho, the program's ambassador who traveled to Ukraine to accompany the families, spoke with deep admiration about their strength. "Bravery runs in their blood," she told journalists. "These are people who don't want to leave the region where they live. They continue with a normal life, despite the war, despite spending many nights in bunkers."

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence carefully selected these families from the war's most affected regions. After their three weeks of respite, all plan to return home, maintaining their connection to their hometowns despite the danger.

Why This Inspires

This isn't just about a vacation. It's about giving children a memory of what peace feels like. For kids who have grown up with air raid sirens instead of alarm clocks, who know bunkers better than playgrounds, three weeks of normalcy plants seeds of hope that another life is possible.

The program also shows what's achievable when civil society steps up. While governments debate policy, ordinary Portuguese citizens are creating moments of healing. HelpUA.PT Vice President Ângelo Neto hopes Portugal will welcome over 500 families in similar programs, building on the UK's model that helped 400 families in 2025.

Almost a million Ukrainian mothers currently live in vulnerable situations. Each family welcomed represents not just humanitarian aid, but a reminder that Europe stands with Ukraine beyond headlines and political statements.

Minister Júdice captured it perfectly: "Justice doesn't end in the courts. Justice is also lived out in the defence of human rights and in not normalising violence against anyone, especially children."

These 33 refugees will return home after three weeks, but they'll carry something invaluable back with them: proof that peace still exists somewhere in the world.