If Prime Minister Robert Abela wants to be taken seriously and if he truly understands what is going on, he must provide full accountability to the Maltese people with regard to the participation of the Armed Forces of Malta in training programmes for Ukrainian soldiers, the Nationalist Party said Tuesday.

Following yesterday's Parliamentary sitting, where Robert Abela was caught off guard when asked about the participation of the Armed Forces of Malta in the training of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, the PN said it is now expecting a clear and honest statement from the Prime Minister.

In a press conference, Shadow Ministers Darren Carabott, Beppe Fenech Adami and Mario De Marco explained how, on Monday afternoon in Parliament, Robert Abela confirmed that Malta is taking part in the EU Military Assistance Mission in Ukraine. However, to do so, he had to consult with his Minister, who was texting him the answers live during the session in response to a question posed by Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Security, Darren Carabott.

At this morning's press conference, the three Shadow Ministers questioned whether Prime Minister Robert Abela was aware of all this and chose to hide the information from the public - or whether we have a Prime Minister who is so out of touch with his own Government that, by his own admission, he had to read a response sent to him by Minister Byron Camilleri via mobile phone during a Parliamentary session.

What is certain is that Robert Abela has now lost all control, the PN said.

The Nationalist MPs also pointed out that, to this day, the Government has failed to confirm when Malta's involvement in this training - taking place in the United Kingdom - actually began.

Until yesterday, the Maltese public was completely unaware of this situation. It had to be the Nationalist Opposition that revealed the truth in Parliament, the PN said.

Now that they have been caught out, the Labour Party is offering a stream of excuses. Yet the fact remains that, despite all that Robert Abela has said about defence and security - and his claims that Malta would not participate in any war - the Labour Government accepted to take part and sent an Armed Forces of Malta officer to coordinate the training of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, the PN said.

If Maltese soldiers are truly only carrying out administrative work, then why has a military officer in full Armed Forces of Malta uniform been sent, the Nationalist Party spokespersons asked.

The PN reassures all soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces of Malta that, unlike the Labour Government, a future Nationalist Government would invest in them, in their equipment, and in their training, and would rebuild the reputation our Army deserves.

The PN reiterated that investing in Malta's and Europe's defence and security is an investment in the future of Malta and Europe.

What a Nationalist Government would certainly not do is undermine the sacrifices being made by the members of the Armed Forces of Malta - as the Labour Government is doing through its constant U-turns, saying one thing in the morning and doing the opposite by the evening; saying one thing in Malta and behaving differently in Brussels.

The PN also extended its gratitude to all those who, out of a belief in truth and a genuine desire for the country's wellbeing, are coming forward with information and sharing it with the Partit Nazzjonalista about the Labour Government's secretive actions.

What was revealed in Parliament yesterday, and which clearly caught Prime Minister Robert Abela off guard, is one such case.

In response to the parliamentary sitting on Monday, the Armed Forces said no Maltese soldiers and providing any training.

The AFM did however confirm that an officer station in the UK is facilitating communication between the UK and the European Union, with one of the mission's aims being to give humanitarian assistance.

The AFM said ut was a conscious decision not to send any soldiers to the mission, except for the officer in question.

The Labour Party, for its part, accused the PN of mounting an "extremist campaign" against the AFM.

It said Carabott was lying when he said Maltese soldiers were training their Ukrainian counterparts. Malta will not be fighting anyone else's wars, the PL said.