Ukraine, Portugal sign partnership to produce sea drones, Zelensky says
Ukraine and Portugal have established a joint partnership to produce sea drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 20, alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who arrived in Ukraine for his first official visit.
Sea drones have become a crucial component of Ukraine's defense toolkit, and co-production with a NATO ally could enhance long-term output and deepen European defense-industrial cooperation at sea.
Zelensky called the initiative "one of the most promising areas of our defence efforts," saying that it must deliver practical outcomes.
Alexander Kamyshin, an advisor to President Zelenskyy on strategic affairs, said that the deal is a boost to Europe's maritime security.
"We proved that our USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) work perfectly against Russian warships and submarines. Now they will help Portugal defend Europe from the sea," Kamyshin wrote on X on Dec. 20.
Zelensky also highlighted Portugal's support for Ukrainian communities and its contributions to rebuilding Ukraine's education infrastructure, including schools in Chernihiv and Cherkasy.
"Portugal also supported the joint European decision on a financial security guarantee for Ukraine for the coming years — and that is 90 billion euros for Ukraine, very significant," Zelensky added.
Speaking to journalists alongside Montenegro, Zelensky said Russia's war aims go beyond Ukraine's territory and warned against any settlement centered solely on land concessions.
"Putin started this war and is dragging it out not only for our Donbas, but to remove people from making decisions about the fate of their countries. Russia will never be satisfied with one or another piece of territory if someone simply gifts it," Zelensky said.
Earlier on Dec. 20, Zelensky said Montenegro had arrived in Ukraine for an official visit and that they honored the memory of fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukraine and Portugal signed a bilateral 10-year security agreement in May 2024, under which Lisbon committed to continued military support for Ukraine. Portugal also contributed to NATO's PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List), a mechanism used to fund the purchase of U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.
