Portugal's Minister of Defense Azeredo Lopes said Monday it would be a "disaster" if Nato takes on a smaller role, while defending the strengthening of European capacities.

"Portugal clearly defends the organization and considers it would be a disaster if its role is diminished," Lopes told Lusa news agency ahead of a meeting in Porto, northern Portugal, with European counterparts from Spain, France and Italy.

"For many decades the organization has managed to guarantee the defense of European countries and those which are members of the organization, like the U.S. and Canada," he added.

Monday's meeting comes ahead of a defense ministers' conference to be attended by ministers of defense from 28 NATO countries in Brussels on Feb. 15-16, including new U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Lopes told Lusa there were "certain expectations" regarding the new U.S. administration's position and the future of NATO, given that the U.S. represents 75 percent of the Atlantic Alliance's capacities.