Russia has to 'find a way out of' its own mess, Portugal's foreign minister says

On Lula's pitch for a negotiated solution, Cravinho says: "Unfortunately, this is not a moment when we can be optimistic about any negotiations. But it is important that countries such as Brazil, such as China, such as India, that have an ongoing dialogue with Russia, engage with Russia in order to explain that Russia is going to have to find a way out of the mess it has created. This was very much part of our conversation with President Lula (of Brazil) when he was in Portugal."

Cravinho goes on: "There is a concern that some countries have that it's necessary to find some kind of mechanism that helps Russia out. Our view is that, as Europeans, what we have to be doing is supporting Ukraine in order to demonstrate very clearly that if Russia doesn't find this solution for itself, it will face defeat on the battlefield."

On whether Portugal, a founding member of NATO, believes that Ukraine should join the Atlantic Alliance, Cravinho responds: "In 2008 there was a deep discussion about whether Ukraine should join. Back then the predominant idea was that Ukraine joining NATO would be a provocation to Russia. Of course that idea has been overtaken by events. I don't think anyone is looking at the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO while there is a war going on. But after the war it's a question that we should all be deliberating."

Cravinho turns to the issue of Macau, which was a Portuguese territory but became part of China in 1999. "Portuguese law applies in Macau and it can be renewed after the current 50-year period," he explains. "We're not 100 percent satisfied, but overall we believe that the Basic Law has made a very important contribution to Macau being what it is."

Asked about the reports of human rights abuses