Speaking during his two-day visit to Portugal, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe must be "more united and stronger than ever" and take decisive steps in "technological, industrial, (and) defense matters."
Portugal is advocating for Ukraine's entry into the European Union and is urging the EU to start preparing for this possibility, Bloomberg reports.
The European Union must stay committed to its policy that any discussions about ending the war in Ukraine should be led by the government in Kyiv, according to Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.
Key updates on May 28: * Belgium signs security deal with Ukraine, pledges $1 billion in aid this year * Zelensky arrives in Portugal, signs bilateral security deal * Sending troops to Ukraine 'shouldn't be ruled out,' Polish FM says * WSJ: Russia aims to produce 6,000 Shahed-type drones a year in
Under a 10-year bilateral security agreement, Portugal will allocate at least 126 million euros ($137 million) in military aid for Ukraine in 2024.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had been due to make the trip in the coming days, partly in order to sign a bilateral security agreement with Spain, the El Pais newspaper reported on May 13.
Ukraine and Portugal have begun negotiations on a draft bilateral security agreement, the Presidential Office announced on April 24.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva held a call with the Portuguese prime minister's advisor Jorge Monteiro to discuss the expected bilateral security agreement, the Presidential Office said on April 9.
The new Portuguese government is fully in support of Ukraine's EU bid, the country's foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, said on April 4, presenting it as a shift from the "ambiguous" stance of the previous administration, Euractiv reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called newly appointed Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro to discuss a future security agreement between Ukraine and Portugal.
Portugal joined the Czech-led initiative to provide Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, pledging 100 million euros ($108.9 million) to the effort, the Portugal Defense Ministry announced on March 15.
Portuguese officials visited the third international forum on the reconstruction of Zhytomyr Oblast and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on rebuilding Ukrainian schools affected by the war, Portugal’s Foreign Ministry reported on Feb. 5.
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