EU enlargement negotiations are advancing rapidly
Paulo Rangel, speaking at the hearing in the European Affairs Committee of the Assembly of the Republic, highlighted that despite some obstacles from France, Germany and the Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg), the enlargement issue "will be put peremptorily", so "there will be no more room for delays".
[Photo: Carlos Barroso/Lusa]
July 15, 2026, 9:14 PM
The Minister of Foreign Affairs stated today that negotiations for the enlargement of the European Union (EU) to Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine are advancing "quite quickly", but without setting dates for accession.
Paulo Rangel, speaking at the hearing in the European Affairs Committee of the Assembly of the Republic, highlighted that despite some obstacles from France, Germany and the Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg), the enlargement issue "will be put peremptorily", so "there will be no more room for delays".
The EU formalized on Tuesday the opening of two new chapters in the accession negotiations of Moldova to the bloc, on the same day it took the same steps regarding Ukraine, Montenegro (expected to happen by the end of 2026) and Albania.
At the hearing, chaired by Socialist Edite Estrela, the head of Portuguese diplomacy, in response to a question by Rui Tavares MP of Livre, recalled that the Icelandic referendum of August 29 is intended to determine whether Iceland wants to reopen the accession negotiations with the 27 and not to join the EU.
"Let the Icelanders deal with things," underlined Paulo Rangel, who then addressed the difficulty of the 27 to approve further progress in negotiations with Ukraine, regretting the reservations of several countries to approve the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.
Rangel noted that, in the conflict between Kiev and Moscow, a "different moment" is approaching, in which the Ukrainian armed forces "have managed to change the equation" by causing "heavy damage on Russian soil, especially in Russian oil infrastructure."
"The Russian response is using a more destructive attack profile, targeting mainly civilians. First of all, we have to prepare the Ukrainian winter. The response capacity began in the spring, but we know that 80% of Ukrainian energy capacity is affected. The solution also involves sending generators," he said.
On the other hand, Paulo Rangel downplayed the criticisms made by MPs from Chega, Rodrigo Tacha and Patrícia Almeida, who questioned the "uncontrolled migration" in the case of the agreement between Brussels and New Delhi, and Brazil's non-compliance, already assumed by Brasília, of sanitary requirements for meat exports, in the case of the EU/Mercosur pact.
"There is no single plan of that kind. Portugal will protect the national interest," Rangel replied to Patrícia Almeida's criticisms, stressing that there are alternatives to Brazilian meat and that, if necessary, Portugal will activate the safeguard clauses included in the treaty.
Rangel also said he was not concerned with the issue raised by Rodrigo Tacha, who stated that Europe "went too far by opening dangerous doors", without knowing how many migrants entered European space, referring to Indian nationals.
"I am not concerned about migration with India. The pact already brings greater traceability at the outset, avoiding illegal entries. It will even allow the development of the Indian economy, which will then allow populations to stay in the country," replied the Portuguese Minister of State.
Socialist MP Eduardo Pinheiro, for his part, questioned the need for the EU budget to be reinforced with more funds for defense and for preparation for enlargement, especially to Ukraine, since the current funds "do not make it possible to respond to all these needs."
