PURL initiative, air defense strengthening: Shmyhal holds talks with Portugal's defense minister

Shmyhal announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

The ministers coordinated the main issues of defense cooperation between the two countries and identified the priority needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Shmyhal expressed gratitude for Portugal's active participation in the meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and for its contribution of $12 million to the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) used for the procurement of weapons.

"We discussed Portugal's participation in the PURL initiative. I thanked for the already announced contribution of $50 million. Also, discussed the possibility of implementing joint projects under the SAFE program," Shmyhal wrote.

According to him, this would open up additional prospects for cooperation between the defense industries of both nations.

During the conversation, the parties also discussed the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense.

Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine is also interested in expanding cooperation in the fields of unmanned systems, tactical communications, cybersecurity, and maritime technologies.

The defense minister expressed gratitude to Portugal for its steadfast support of Ukraine.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Denys Shmyhal and the Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas, Juozas Olekas, discussed the exchange of experience and technologies in the defense industry and the potential for developing joint projects.

Photo: Denys Shmyhal, Facebook