The defense minister announced on Wednesday that Portugal is preparing an aid package for Ukraine with winter clothing for the army and generators, and is still considering taking part in mine clearance.
“I announced here that we are preparing a package of winter clothing. Winter is coming and this is a need felt and required by Ukraine and the generators,” Helena Carreiras said, speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Defense Contact Group. of Ukraine, at the headquarters of the Atlantic Alliance in Brussels.
The Defense Minister revealed that Ukraine has made “a specific request” for clothes, especially for women.
Helena Carreiras has not quantified the size of this clothing package and the number of generators she will make available: “I don’t have that concrete indication yet, we are working on this takeover. Ukraine always indicates the quantities for various items and, as always, we evaluate.”
The official added that training of Ukrainian pilots “has already started in several places,” but not yet in Portugal.
“We are not yet participating with our capabilities. I remind you that we offer the opportunity to train pilots and mechanics, we continue with technical meetings to assess when our participation will be required,” he insisted, adding admits that “we’re not there.” a specific date or calendar”.
The Defense Minister said at the meeting, the first with the personal participation of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, that Portugal is “considering participation” in the demining.
Helena Carreiras had already said that Portugal was willing to do so, but only with the training of Ukrainian divers.
The issue arose following a request from former Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov over the need to demine the Black Sea, which has once again become a battlefield since Russia tore up the agreement to export Ukrainian grains.
Source: DN
