Nicosia, April 24, 2026 (Lusa) – Portugal’s prime minister, Luis Montenegro, said on Friday it is "necessary to establish dialogue with Russia to resolve the conflicts" where it is involved, agreeing with the suggestion from the US president, Donald Trump, for Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to attend the next G20 summit.
"It is necessary to establish dialogue with Russia to resolve the conflicts in which Russia is involved. From that point of view, as an external observer – Portugal, which is not part of the G20 – I have no problem seeing positive aspects in that inclusion," the prime minister told journalists on the sidelines of an informal summit of European Union (EU) heads of state and government in Cyprus.
The prime minister answered a question about the suggestion from the US president for his Russian counterpart to attend the next G20 summit in Miami in December.
"I do not think it is bad, honestly. It seems to me that including Russia in evaluating major geopolitical issues and world economic and trade matters is not negative," he said.
He also welcomed the EU's formal approval on Thursday of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, calling it a "great step."
When journalists asked how he saw a Reuters article indicating the US said it might suspend Spain from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the prime minister replied: "No comments."
Journalists also asked him if he had received a new name for the Ombudsperson, after Tiago Antunes told the Expresso newspaper he would not run for the position again.
He said the Socialist Party (PS) does not have to "hand him anything," stressing that parliament should discuss the Ombudsperson’s election.
"I can say, as president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), that the PSD and the PS reached an agreement in the last legislature. The PSD would nominate the president of the Economic and Social Council (CES, a government advisory body), and the PS would propose a name for the MPs in parliament to evaluate and approve. We will wait for that to happen," he said.
On Thursday, the US president supported Vladimir Putin’s participation in the Miami G20 summit in December, though he considered it unlikely his Russian counterpart would attend.
When asked at the White House about reports on Russian participation, Trump said he knew of no official invitation to Moscow but it "would be very helpful" if Putin came. "I am of the opinion that we should talk to everyone," he said, citing the need to maintain contact with Moscow to find a solution for the war in Ukraine.
"At G7 meetings, people talk about Russia 90% of the time, and I think: 'Why did they kick them out?' It would have been better not to," he added.
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