Portugal joins air coalition for Ukraine – FM Kuleba

Portugal has joined an air coalition being formed for Ukraine and is ready to provide training for Ukrainian pilots and engineers.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

During his visit to Lisbon, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Portugal’s Foreign Affairs Minister João Gomes Cravinho and National Defence Minister Helena Carreiras.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy briefed his Portuguese colleagues on the situation on the battlefield and outlined Ukraine’s needs in terms of effective defense and counteroffensive operations.

“Portugal showed leadership by joining the tank coalition. Considering the intensification of Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and villages, it is critically important that Ukraine has the ability to knock Russia out of the Ukrainian sky,” Kuleba emphasized.

In this regard, Kuleba expressed gratitude to the Government of Portugal for its decision to join the air coalition by providing training for Ukrainian pilots and engineers on the Western-type fighter jets.

The Portuguese side also confirmed their intent to continue supporting Ukraine on its path towards EU membership.

Kuleba and Cravinho coordinated positions in the context of preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius. Kuleba stressed the importance of making a political decision by the leaders of the Alliance to determine an algorithm for Ukraine’s accession to NATO.

Additionally, the two ministers discussed the issue of holding Russia and its leadership accountable for the crimes against Ukraine, namely the creation of an International Special Tribunal over Russia’s crime of aggression.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Kuleba paid special attention to President Zelensky’s Peace Formula as the way of establishing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and expanding the circle of support for this formula, namely through the involvement of the Global South nations.

Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry