The Minister of Foreign Affairs announced today that Portugal is available to train Ukrainian pilots in the use of F-16 fighter jets, stating that for the time being there is no availability to send aircraft.
“Portugal is open to that possibility. We have very good pilots and trainers, and they are available to work with colleagues from other countries that also have F-16s to train Ukrainian pilots,” said João Gomes Cravinho, leaving a meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers in Brussels.
Sending the F-16s that the Portuguese Air Force has is a “question that is not on the table,” the minister added, explaining that “Portugal does not have an unlimited number of planes.
“We have those we need to fulfill our national obligations and also in NATO, so for now this question does not arise,” said the head of Portuguese diplomacy.
