The Supreme Defense Council on Friday analyzed the situation in Ukraine at the end of a year of war and Portugal’s position on this conflict and issued a positive opinion on “minor adjustments” in the force deployed in Africa.
This information is contained in a note published on the Internet on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic after the meeting of this collegiate consultative body, in ordinary session, by videoconference.
The Supreme Council of National Defense, meeting under the chairmanship of the head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, “analyzed the situation in Ukraine and the Portuguese position, one year after the Russian invasion,” the statement read.
According to the same note, the Defense Council unanimously approved minor adjustments to national forces deployed in Africa within the framework of the European Union.
The Supreme Council of National Defense, chaired by the President of the Republic, is a specific collegial body for consultation on matters related to national defense and the organisation, operation and discipline of the armed forces.
This Friday’s meeting of this body was the 31st convened by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and began at noon.
This body consists of the Prime Minister, the Ministers of State and National Defence, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance and those responsible for industry, energy, transport and communications, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Chiefs of the Navy , Army and Air Force.
The Supreme Council of National Defense also includes representatives of the Republic and Presidents of the Governments of the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, the President of the National Defense Commission of the Assembly of the Republic and two more deputies elected to this body by a two-thirds majority.
On the day of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, February 24, 2022, the Supreme Council of National Defense convened urgently and issued a unanimous positive opinion on the eventual participation of Portuguese military assets in the NATO readiness forces and on the expectation to receive Portuguese soldiers send to Romania.
The Deployed National Forces Plan for 2022 already envisaged sending a contingent of Portuguese soldiers to Romania in the second half of that year, as happened in 2021, but the departure was brought forward due to the context of war between Ukraine and Russia.
The 1st Detached National Force, consisting of 222 Portuguese soldiers, left for Romania on April 15 last year.
On May 19, Prime Minister António Costa visited and spoke to 222 Portuguese soldiers at the military base of Caracal.
On December 20, the President of the Republic and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces traveled to the same base in Romania, where he visited the 212 Portuguese soldiers of the 2nd National Detached Force integrated into a NATO mission in that country bordering Ukraine.
Source: DN
