Chega, which has been affiliated with the far-right European group Identity and Democracy (ID) since 2020, places itself "alongside people who condemn Ukraine, who are in favour of [Vladimir] Putin".

After naming the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, French politician Marine Le Pen and her National Union party or the Italian deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini (League), all members of ID, Paulo Rangel said: "I see your leader [André Ventura] beside them, all happy, he has never denounced this, and then here, as you know that Portuguese public opinion will never accept this, you try to say that you have another position".

In his speech during the committee, Chega deputy António Pinto Pereira referred to the "Russian war of aggression against Ukraine" and to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, as "this megalomaniac dictator who has the military design of conquering Europe by force of arms".

His bench colleague Pedro Correia said: "For the record, Chega is a pro-European party (...) and defends greater identity of its States".

The same deputy guaranteed that the party is not against immigration or immigrants, "recognises the importance of immigrants in some sectors", but "defends human dignity" and opposes "uncontrolled immigration".

"I am drawing attention to the irreconcilable contradiction, because you cannot be saying this here and then, in the European Parliament, be alongside those who defend Putin's regime, and who even defend the end of the European Union (EU). Therefore, do not come and say that you are pro-European, because otherwise 'tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are', is an old Portuguese saying, since you like Portuguese identity so much," replied Rangel.

"You have to gain credibility, this speech is not credible," said the minister, for whom Portugal is "in a very difficult position, when there is a party that has 50 deputies and that is on Russia's side".

"This is seen by the entire European Union. I have no doubts about that. You are concerned about betrayals of the homeland, be careful. It is the prestige of Portugal that is at stake," he warned.

The minister's position was supported by the Liberal Initiative, with deputy Bernardo Blanco saying he was "surprised by this change of position in relation to the Russian regime", while Rui Tavares, from Livre, recalled that Chega's top candidate in the European elections of 9 June, António Tânger Corrêa, "considered that the firm attitude of [Ukrainian President, Volodymyr] Zelensky in defence of the integrity of Ukrainian sovereignty was a reflection of decisions, I quote, thoughtless, idiotic and dangerous".

In "defence of the party's honour", deputy Pinto Pereira accused the minister of "demagogy" and "rudeness".

"We do not yet have deputies in the European Parliament, I imagine that we will have as many as the PSD [currently six] or possibly more. We do not have any subservient position towards any political family," said the Chega deputy.

"We are a sovereign and democratic State. Portugal is not a hostage to Europe. This parliament is a body of popular sovereignty and we represent the Portuguese here, in Lisbon and not in Brussels," he also said.

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