Portugal funds drone procurement for Ukraine

Portugal will fund the procurement of Portuguese drones to be sent to Ukraine with 52 million euros, announced Prime Minister Luís Montenegro following his meeting with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. 

Luís Montenegro announced that "Portugal will join the assistance fostered by the United Kingdom, namely with a financial donation of around 52 million euros that will be used to procure Portuguese drones".

The Prime Minister made this statement in Budapest during a break in the European Political Community Summit, an organisation that brings together 48 European countries, created in the aftermath of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

United States

The "perspective of a political shift in the United States must be viewed as an opportunity, an opportunity to talk less and do more" in Europe, added the Prime Minister.

Luís Montenegro stressed that "Europe must have more autonomy, not just in terms of defence, but also its economic vibrancy". "We must boost our capabilities of having Europeans produce more in all contexts".

The Prime Minister also said he expects the United States to continue to be "a privileged partner" in assisting Ukraine in fighting the Russian invasion", namely at NATO level.

"From a bilateral standpoint, we are fully interested in continuing to deepen our relations" with the United States, with which "from an economic standpoint a cultural standpoint, and even a historical standpoint, we have deep relations", he said, noting "the huge Portuguese community in the United States of America" and the fact there are "increasingly more Americans investing in Portugal and visiting Portugal".

The Prime Minister congratulated Donald Trump on his "unequivocal election in terms of results".