Portugal has a “withdrawal plan” from Ukraine. Santos Silva guarantees that the answer will be economic and not military
If the situation worsens, Portugal has a plan for the withdrawal of Portuguese citizens that, within hours, can be activated. For now, informed the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, in an interview with RTP, there were Portuguese who have already left and others who have informed that they want to stay in Ukraine. The minister guarantees that on the table is not a NATO military response to a possible Russian aggression against Ukraine.
With the intensifying tension in the last two last two regions of the Donbas, Ukraine, between the official forces of Ukraine and the separatist forces supported by Russia, the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs wanted the Portuguese (and NATO) position: “ An aggression by Russia on Ukraine does not mean an aggression by Russia on NATO,” he said. However, however, “NATO’s response” and therefore a Russian aggression “after the immediate response defends its never-before-seen borders”, he said. “This is not a military response, but an economic one”guaranteed.
This does not mean that there is no bilateral multi-state support for Ukraine. Incidentally, the United States has here that it cannot help Ukraine, as Putin asks. “They will have all our political solidarity,” Santos Silva told RTP. Support that translates into “devastating economic sanctions” the Russia.
This Ukraine is part of NATO and part of NATO and says as such, not being able to trigger Article 5 of the Alliance that does not attack one against a NATO member is an attack on all remaining members and therefore triggers a collective.
At the Security Conference taking place in Munich today, NATO leaders hinted that a war in Ukraine is getting closer and closer. Kamala Harris, US vice president, said the US is aware that Putin “has already made his decision. Full stop” and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Putin was preparing for “the biggest war in Europe since 1945”. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, also said that the Diplomatic Council’s path is at an end: “We cannot offer an olive branch forever while Russia carries out olive tree tests and continues to gather troops on the Ukrainian border”.
Augusto Santos Silva still believes in diplomatic means – “Russia is not under threat from anyone”, he said – especially after the conversations that French President Emmanuel Macron had already today, first with Putin, then with Volor Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. “We are closer, unfortunately, than we saw days ago [de um conflito], is irreversible and not. There is still a political window that must be taken advantage of.”said in the same interview.
Portuguese Embassy remains in Kiev
The “logical consequence of the worsening of what is happening in Ukraine” is a preparation of the Portuguese Embassy in Kiev in case it is necessary to withdraw Portuguese citizens from the country. Therefore, guaranteed Santos Silva, a “withdrawal plan” has been prepared for weeks that can be activated if there is an interruption of commercial flights to that country.
The Portuguese “will always be supported”, said Santos Silva, despite the situation being “difficult”. The hours plan has “a withdrawal readiness”.
For now, and unlike other European countries, the Portuguese embassy continues to operate in Kiev, where the ambassador remains. And there was a reinforcement of the embassy, with competent personnel.
For now, only three Portuguese in the most problematic region, Donbas, and the rest are being contacted. Augusto again leaves the place of Santos that the Portuguese leave the country, but they have many nationalities and therefore the distance that remains at home, and to keep the embassy email.