Government vows to support European efforts and invest more in defense modernization

This Friday, the government pledged to support European Union technology investment in the face of the “complexity” of external threats, and said that betting on the modernization of the armed forces would affect the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy.

These positions were defended by Foreign Ministers João Gomes Cravinho and Defense Minister Helena Carreiras at the opening of the parliamentary debate on Portugal’s participation in permanent structured cooperation.

Focusing mainly on the current situation in NATO and the European Union in the face of Russian military intervention in Ukraine, João Gomes Cravinho warned that the “transformative times of the present” require European member states to take a “new strategic stance”. “.

“In this context in which we live, it is important that the European Union invests more and better in innovative capabilities and technologies, filling strategic gaps and reducing technological and industrial dependence,” he stressed.

In his speech, the Foreign Minister defended the thesis that “threats” are becoming more “complex and diverse, with terrorism, cyberthreats, disinformation and rework, while not forgetting traditional threats such as the one posed by Russia.”

“Portugal has always been and will always be ready to contribute to the strengthening of European strategic autonomy and confirms the national commitment to permanent structured defense cooperation,” he added.

Shortly thereafter, the Minister of Defense spoke out in support of the idea of ​​a return to the Portuguese economy, with investment in the modernization of the Portuguese armed forces.

An investment that, in his opinion, serves as “the guarantee of modern forces, ready and able to ensure the sovereignty and security of the population, as well as create value for the Portuguese economy.”

As for cooperation at the military level, Helena Carreiras noted that Portugal has already sent about “712 tons of military equipment, including three Leopard 2A6 tanks” to support Ukraine’s military operations.

“They are already in Germany and will arrive in Ukraine by the end of March. We are also committed to the European Union mission of military assistance to Ukraine, in which we are participating through the training of Ukrainian soldiers,” he said.

In her speech, Helena Carreira also warned of other security threats, in addition to that resulting from the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, thus calling for attention to the African continent.

“We have to pay special attention to the threats in the south, especially in Africa, which also affect what happens in the east because of the war in Europe. In this complex and unpredictable geostrategic environment, the need for the European Union to develop defense capabilities takes on new significance. It is in this context that the acquisition and development of skills gained prominence and Portugal was an active participant in these processes,” he said.

At this stage, the Minister of Defense also sought to emphasize that Portugal is involved in more than 60 projects of permanent structured cooperation programs (PESCO) or the European Defense Fund.

“Moreover, of the 60 ongoing PESCO projects, Portugal is present in more than half. These projects contribute to building national and European military capabilities and developing a more robust and competitive national technological and industrial base with a better capability response to the security needs we face,” he said.

On the other hand, according to Helena Carreiras, Portugal continues to seek to guarantee complementarity and interoperability with NATO in terms of foreign defense policy.

“The recently signed third Europe/NATO joint declaration points exactly in this direction,” he added.