PM warns of ‘global challenge’ posed by Russia, including in Africa
António Costa expressed the view at a joint news conference with his Romanian counterpart, Nicolae Ciucâ, after the two leaders and their defence ministers signed a cooperation agreement in that area.
Portugal’s prime minister, António Costa, on Thursday warned in Bucharest that the “global challenge” posed by Russia in terms of collective security lies on Europe’s eastern border, but also extends to the African continent itself.
Costa expressed the view at a joint news conference with his Romanian counterpart, Nicolae Ciucâ, after the two leaders and their defence ministers signed a cooperation agreement in that area.
In response to a question posed by a Romanian journalist about Portugal’s military presence in Eastern Europe, Costa said that “Portugal has a vast commitment with NATO, the European Union and the United Nations to use national forces deployed in different territories.
“With the United Nations and the European Union, we have missions in several African countries,” he recalled. “And it is very important not to ignore that the global challenge posed by Russia is on the European border on the eastern flank, but also on the African continent.”
Of the military missions in which Portugal is participating in Africa, the one in the Central African Republic, which the prime minister visited in December, is considered to be one of the most problematic.
In EU countries, Costa highlighted Portugal’s military missions in the Baltic countries and also in Romania itself.
