The Ministry of Foreign Affairs office stressed to ECO that the purpose of sanctions against Moscow must be to penalise the Russian war machine and not the Russian people. Even so, Portugal will participate in the discussion between the 27 member states on the topic, which will take place on 31 August.

“Portugal considers that the fundamental objective of the sanctions regime should be to penalize the Russian war machine and not the Russian people. Portugal will participate in the discussion that may eventually take place, at European level, on the subject, contributing to a united position of the EU Member States, as we have always done”, reads the response sent to ECO by the ministry supervised by João Gomes Cravinho.