Portugal has planned to replace its aging F16 fighter jets with similarly American F35.
But now the NATO country is hesitating – due to the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump and his policy.
When we make our choice, we cannot ignore the geopolitical environment. The predictability of our allies is more important to take into account. We must believe that these allies will stand on our side under all circumstances, says Defense Minister Nuno Melo in an interview with the newspaper Público.
According to the minister, there are several alternatives "with European production" being considered.
Nuno Melo leads the small Christian Democratic party CDS-PP, which sits in the Portuguese government together with the also conservative PSD. However, the government is currently awaiting new elections on May 18 after being defeated in a confidence vote on Tuesday.
