Portugal announced a new support package for Ukraine this Friday, with 13 armored personnel carriers and nine howitzers, representing 1,125 tons of equipment already shipped, at a “critical and important moment” of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.
The announcement was made by Defense Minister Helena Carreiras, who spoke to Portuguese journalists in Brussels on the day the meeting of ministers responsible for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ends.
The minister explained that Portugal will donate “a further 14 M113s, which are armored personnel carriers, and nine more howitzers in a new support package”, following the “minister’s visit [ucraniano dos Negócios Estrangeiros] Dmytro Kuleba to Lisbon”.
“This is a new package that Portugal is making available to Ukraine, highlighting what we have done and our continued support to the extent of our capabilities in this effort, which is even more important now as we are at a critical and important time when has to do with this counter-offensive that will take some time, but for which all the Allies [da NATO] mobilize to support Ukraine in its effort to face this illegal invasion of Russia”emphasized Helena Carreiras.
This aid for Kiev aims “creating the conditions so that it is possible to think about a future of peace and negotiations”he added.
According to the defense minister, “between these cars, these armored vehicles and all the other equipment – and taking into account this latest package – the 1,125 tons of equipment that Portugal has mobilized for Ukraine will already be exceeded”.
After announcing in October 2022 that the government would send the six Kamov fire helicopters to Ukraine, without a license to operate in Portugal because they are of Russian origin and one of them is not working, Helena Carreiras said that “it is being planned at this times in preparation for shipment”.
The delay was due to “a wait where we waited for Ukraine to signal us how and when to proceed”the minister explained, recalling the death of the Ukrainian interior minister at the beginning of the year after a helicopter crash.
A day after the coalition formed by the Netherlands and Denmark to train Ukrainian pilots in F-16 fighters said that this action would start as soon as possible, and Portugal said it would be available to participate in this training, Helena Carreiras told the Portuguese press that “the idea is that it will be in the coming months”.
“By the summer we will have news as the group meets and defines the needs and requirements for this formation. There are many details to be defined, but I believe this is the goal, […] until the end of the year”, the minister specified, pointing out that it is not yet known whether “it will be in Portugal or in another context”.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 triggered the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
