Portugal backs Ukraine’s accession to NATO ‘when conditions permit’

The Portuguese government this Saturday expressed support for Ukraine’s entry into NATO “when conditions permit” and called for additional sanctions against Russia in a joint statement issued after a telephone conversation between Costa and Zelensky.

Portugal “will continue to support Ukraine on its path to future membership and supports Ukraine in its accession to NATO when conditions permit,” reads a joint statement signed between Ukraine and Portugal.

In the document, the Government also defends that “the future of Ukraine and its people lies in the European family”, and recalls that “the European Union (EU) has already recognized the European perspective of Ukraine and granted it the status of a candidate country”. .

“The Portuguese Republic strongly supports Ukraine in its reform efforts and in fulfilling the necessary requirements to start accession negotiations, awaiting a positive report from the European Commission,” the statement said.

The executive branch also emphasizes that “Ukraine and the Portuguese Republic agree on the need to increase collective pressure on Russia through additional sanctions in order to weaken the ability to continue the illegal war of aggression.”

“Efforts must be stepped up to ensure the effective application of sanctions, as well as to prevent and counter their circumvention through third countries,” the governments of the two countries defend.

The declaration also states that “Ukraine and the Portuguese Republic emphasize their firm commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for war crimes and other atrocities committed during Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine.”

“Ukraine and the Portuguese Republic reiterate their support for the International Criminal Court and prosecution investigations, which is another step towards accountability. [dos criminosos] – and take note of the arrest warrants of the court,” they said.

Portugal also welcomes the agreement and the launch of the new International Criminal Action Center for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, based in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The government also reiterates that Russia must “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its armed forces from Ukrainian territory within its internationally recognized borders.”

“The Portuguese Republic will provide political, financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary, individually and through international cooperation within the EU, NATO, UN and other formats,” the Portuguese government said in a statement.

This joint declaration was signed after a telephone conversation between António Costa and Volodymyr Zelensky, in which, according to a post posted on his social network Twitter, the President of Ukraine expressed to the Prime Minister of Portugal the importance of a NATO decision on the future of Kiev. alliance membership.

Also in a tweet, Costa said that “Portugal has supported Ukraine from day one in exercising its right to be protected in this brutal and unjustified war and will continue to support it for as long as it takes.”