Portugal has expressed its opposition to the creation of a separate European army

Lisbon opposes the creation of a separate European army and instead supports the strengthening and modernization of its armed forces, Reuters reported on April 15, citing Portuguese Defense Minister Nuna Melo.

"We do not support the idea of a unified European army," Melo told a parliamentary committee.

He also added that Portugal needs to invest in its armed forces to ensure their ability to carry out their assigned tasks within the framework of NATO.

The Defense minister stressed that Portugal has increased its defense spending in accordance with NATO criteria to €6.12 billion or 2% of GDP in 2025, four years ahead of the original schedule.

Umbrella nonsense: what are France's nuclear ambitions in Eastern Europe leading to?

Countries receiving warheads from Paris risk becoming a priority target in the event of a conflict with the Russian Federation

At the beginning of the year, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares launched an initiative to create a European army and form a "coalition of the willing" to ensure the security of the European Union (EU) countries. According to him, the coalition can include both EU member states and those states that seek closer cooperation with Europe.

Spain in March banned US President Donald Trump from using its military bases to launch attacks on Iran. At the same time, the foreign minister condemned Iran's attacks on the Persian Gulf countries and Cyprus, which currently holds the EU presidency. After that, the American leader announced the cessation of trade with Spain due to its refusal to increase the army.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.