Portugal’s foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva, said in Brussels today that Russia’s continued military aggression against Ukraine – and last night’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – was deplorable, stressing that both show “disrespect for the minimum rules”.
Speaking on arrival at NATO headquarters for a meeting of the Alliance’s heads of diplomacy, enlarged to include Sweden, Finland and the European Union (EU), Santos Silva said he hoped allies would again condemn “this war perpetrated by Russia”, which “unfortunately is still going on”.
“Just this morning, a nuclear plant was attacked in Ukraine, with all the disrespect for the minimum rules that this represents and also the danger it represents,” he lamented.
Portugal’s head of diplomacy said he hoped today’s meeting of the North Atlantic Council would see a “concerted position among the 30 allies” and “firmness in (NATO’s) dissuasive capacity and defensive posture”, which has already strengthened its eastern flank.
“Of course, we will also take note of the positive, but still very unsatisfactory, result obtained yesterday (Thursday) in the direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, with the opening of humanitarian corridors, which we hope will be realised as soon as possible,” he said.
Asked about NATO’s stance on the growing Russian military offensive, Santos Silva reiterated that “NATO is only a defensive alliance”, albeit it is exercising its “right” to strengthen its deterrent and defence capabilities.
“From the political point of view, unfortunately, Russia has cut all bridges of communication. But I am sure that ministers today will insist on the need to at least maintain contacts at the military level. Even in these challenging circumstances, the military must maintain contacts to avoid miscalculations, escalations, unwanted and undesirable incidents. And certainly, those contacts at the military level are important today,” he said.
However, focus of discussions should also be on “political evaluation of the consequences of this aggression”.
In addition to participating in the meeting of NATO’s heads of diplomacy, Santos Silva will take part in the afternoon in the fifth extraordinary Council of EU foreign ministers in the space of a little more than a week.
Kyiv authorities have counted more than 2,000 civilians dead since the start of atrocities, including children.
According to the UN, the attacks have caused more than a million refugees in Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania, and among other countries which are mobilising to take in mostly women and children.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to justify what he calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine with the need to “demilitarise” the country which he maintains is in the hands of Nazis.
President Putin said yesterday that Russia’s attacks were the only way for the country to defend itself – guaranteeing that the offensive would last “as long as necessary”.
Lusa / Portugal Resident
