Interested coalition: Portugal is inside (and there are distant allies)

The “stakeholders” are already almost 30 countries – from Europe and outside of it. What they want is very clear: sending help to Ukraine and locking the war. And what do the Portuguese want?

British Prime Minister Keir Strmer met this Saturday with the “stakeholders” in which, together with the French President Emmanuel Macron, proposed.

The meeting had about 30 countries (European or not), which were ready to contribute to the end of the war in Ukraine. Among them were also Ukrainian representatives.

And Luís Montenegro also attended the online meeting. On the way, at X: “I attended today in a meeting promoted by the UK and France in the staff of efforts to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine, based on negotiations for just and lasting peace. Following the principles of international law, We will be next to our allies to ensure peace and security today and in the future. ”

Lusa also cites a source of the prime minister’s office, which states that “Portugal has expressed availability to contribute together with its European partners, to a framework of initiatives that contribute to achieving peace, in line with the principles of international law, and to ensure that it can be sustainable in time”.

Therefore, the Portuguese alignment alongside international leaders committed to defending Ukraine. Also present at the meeting was the president of the European Council, António Costa.

“If there is necessary that there is non -land troops And that European partners constitute them, Portugal will naturally be available, as has been in other theaters of operations, next to those who guarantee peace, ”Montenegro had already said at a European Council meeting.

And it’s not just the countries closest to the Eastern European conflict that are volunteered to help. Also Australia, New Zealand and Canada align with Europe.

According to Keir Stmerer, some decisions were made at the meeting, such as: “In the event of a ceasefire, we sublimated the need to strong monitoring mechanismsto ensure that any violations of an agreement are identified and denounced. ”

“My feeling is that sooner or later (Russia) will have to sit at the table and participate in a serious discussion, but – this is a big but for us this morning at our meeting – We can’t sit down and simply wait That happens, ”he said.

This is why the coalition of stakeholders wants to act through military support to Ukraine. The UK Prime Minister also stressed the need for “Maintain the pressure” About Vladimir Putin to accept the ceasefire.

From the outside is Italy, With Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reaffirming that “national participation is not foreseen in a possible military force on the ground”. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has also stated that Ukraine’s entry into the European Union will never be validated by it.

What do the Portuguese want?

This week the Minister of Defense Nuno Melo did not exclude the hypothesis of sending Portuguese troops to Ukraine, after a possible peace agreement, in a context, only and only, of ceasefire.

The statement was made in the podcast “” of the public and Renaissance. He also admitted that the next aid package from Portugal to Ukraine can exceed 300 million euros.

But, after all, do the Portuguese agree or not with this alignment of Portugal to England and France?

According to the survey performed by aximage to the, There is a great division of the country in this matter, With 44% of respondents to “agree” or “fully agree”, and 43% to “disagree” or “totally disagree.”

However, only 12% of the Portuguese “totally agrees” with the sending of troops to Ukraine. The opinion that brings together the most adhesion (32%) is a simple “I agree.”

Attacks continue

Despite a negotiation (with Putin admitting for the first time accepting the 30 -day agreement if there are some changes in parameters), it is not even ending bombing in Russia and Ukraine.