Portugal does not rule out deploying troops to Ukraine, prime minister says
Photo: Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Portugal does not rule out deploying troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping contingent, but such a deployment would only be possible after the war ends, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on December 20.
Montenegro stated that both the European Union and Portugal support the deployment of troops to Ukraine. He noted that Portugal is ready to deploy troops, participate in peacekeeping missions, and help maintain security.
The prime minister explained that while Portugal does not intend to deploy troops during the war, it remains committed to participating in the Coalition of the Willing and contributing to peacekeeping operations. Within the framework of a peacekeeping mission and NATO security guarantees, Portuguese forces could be stationed in Ukraine alongside troops from Latvia and Lithuania to support security and peacekeeping efforts.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro arrived in Kyiv on Saturday morning, December 20, for an official visit, during which he met with President Zelenskyy and addressed the press.
Peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine
On December 16, it was reported that the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing formally confirmed their readiness to deploy support forces to Ukraine as part of security guarantees after the end of the war.
According to a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the United Kingdom has reaffirmed its readiness to deploy troops to Ukraine once hostilities end. Starmer added that a plan for the post-war deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine has already been prepared.
