LISBON, March 14 (Reuters) - Portugal could replace its

ageing American-made F-16 fighter jets with European jets rather

than F-35s following U.S. President Donald Trump's policy

shifts, the country's defence ministry said on Friday.

Defence Minister Nuno Melo told Portugal's Publico newspaper

the unpredictable nature of Trump's policy towards NATO and

Europe could determine the country's pick of aircraft.

"The recent U.S. stance in the context of NATO and the

international geostrategic dimension, makes us think what are

the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a

factor to be reckoned with," he said.

Trump's apparent lurch toward Russia in his second term in

the White House has shocked traditional NATO allies in Europe.

Trump has also demanded that Europe's NATO members ramp up their

defence spending and questioned his country's predominant

bankrolling of NATO.

"This ally of ours, that has behaved in a predictable

fashion for decades, could impose limits on the use,

maintenance, components, and all that is linked to having the

aircraft operational," added Melo, a member of Portugal's

centre-right government, which this week moved into a caretaker

position ahead of an election on May 18.

The defence ministry said on Friday that Melo was not ruling

out the potential acquisition of F-35s but that they were being

considered along with "different models available in Europe" as

part of a process still in preliminary stages.

"The current geopolitical context shows the need to

reinforce the European pillar of NATO defenses, and that

includes the strengthening of respective production in the areas

of defence," the ministry added.

The European Commission wants EU countries to outline their

most pressing defence needs and launch "large-scale pan-European

flagship projects" to enable Europe to defend itself against

potential a Russian attack. The Commission has said European

equipment should be purchased where possible.