‘When we asked for planes, we didn’t mean this’ says Zelenskyy, referring to purported downing of plane carrying Wagner boss
Showing the timing of a professional, President Zelenskyy made his press conference today in the company of Portugal’s President Marcelo singularly memorable by telling reporters: “You know, when Ukraine asked the countries of the world for airplanes, we didn’t have this in mind…” This was in reference to the downing of the private jet near Moscow yesterday which is believed to have been carrying Wagner group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and two of his closest henchmen.
His audience broke out in laughter
There has been no official confirmation that the Wagner leader responsible for untold atrocities having taken place on Ukrainian (African/ Syrian) soil is in fact dead, but if he is – as the world’s newspapers seem to believe he is – it “would help Ukraine’s war effort against Russia”, Zelenskyy conceded.
President Marcelo stood to the left of Mr Zelenskyy as the latter fielded questions from the floor. Reporters were understandably keen to explore the theme of Prigozhin, as every one in the field of newsgathering is looking for a ‘nugget’ of certainty.
One of these is that Ukraine “had nothing to do with it”.
“Everybody realises who has something to do with it”, added the Ukrainian leader, alluding to the opinion of the majority: that President Putin will have orchestrated this incident, however it played out.
As for the rest of the press conference, there were more smiles as President Marcelo said that: “The democratically legitimised political power in Portugal wants Ukraine to be part of the European family in the future (…). Portugal has also been clear in saying that this involves two parts: the journey that Ukraine is making with great merit in preparation for that moment, but also the journey that the EU must make in preparation for that moment”.
Portugal has supported “from the first moment the adhesion of Ukraine to the EU”, Marcelo added, stressing: “And I hope that it is clear that when the President of Portugal says that this is the objective, it is said; there is no one above the president who can say anything different on this subject”.
This last sentence may have been an oblique warning to Portugal’s prime minister António Costa who has always been strangely reticent when questioned about Ukraine’s EU membership; or it could have been directed at the few MPs in the house representing PCP communists whose antipathy towards matters Ukraine has been demonstrated on several occasions.
Also during the press conference, reference was made to Africa. In the context that Portugal has “strong connections with the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, that include Cape Verde, which is also a member of the economic community of west African States (CEDEAO) Volodymyr Zelenksyy “asked for Portugal’s support in helping transmit the necessity for supporting Ukraine in the struggle against the Russian invasion.
President Marcelo also seemed to refer to extending Portugal’s help and experience with international missions in Africa, “without specifying how”, added Lusa.
