New York, Sept. 25, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese prime minister has called at the United Nations for an end to the «collective masochism» that is causing fuel prices to soar, and proposed a review of the mechanism for setting international oil prices.
Luís Montenegro addressed the 81st United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on Thursday, just a few months before Portugal returns to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.
«This is a senseless crisis because it is bad for everyone. We must put an end to this kind of collective masochism. And we must do so quickly to close this chapter, which is harming everyone,» he urged, arguing that everyone has «a duty to learn from the lessons of the 1970s crisis and avoid repeating what happened then».
He argued that, on the one hand, «it is urgent to put an end to the protracted conflicts», without referring directly, in this part of his speech, to the war in the Middle East between the United States and Iran.
«On the other hand, we must, as of now, discuss and decide on complementary ways to mitigate the impact of this energy crisis and prevent it from dragging on,» he urged.
The Portuguese prime minister considered that «it would also be beneficial to discuss the mechanism for setting the international price of oil».
«I do not have a concrete solution, but I wonder whether it makes sense for us all to be so dependent on speculation and the volatility of the financial and futures markets, which affect the entire production chain, even when the instability originates from only a small part or a limited period of that production,» he asked.
Montenegro emphasised that the rise in fuel prices affects and harms all peoples, with «serious economic and social consequences».
«Everyone, absolutely everyone, is affected. From Asia to Europe, from Africa to the Americas, no country is immune,» he stressed.
At the start of his speech, when he called for an end to various global conflicts, he also called for an end to «the aggressive actions of Iran and its associated armed groups, including attacks on neighbouring countries, merchant ships and civilian infrastructure».
«Just as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz must end and freedom of navigation must be guaranteed – including safe and toll-free passage – so too in the Red Sea,» he said, in a speech that made no reference whatsoever to the role of the United States in the conflict.
Montenegro emphasised the importance of accelerating the energy transition to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and «mitigate the effects of climate change», noting that in Portugal «over 70% of our energy production comes from renewable sources» and that the country has brought forward its carbon neutrality target from 2050 to 2045.
«Climate change and freedom of navigation share a common priority in our policy: the sea and the oceans. Protecting the marine environment and its biodiversity, combating ocean warming, addressing the threat of rising sea levels and ensuring universal freedom of navigation are key priorities on the oceans agenda,» he said.
The address to the UN General Assembly was the final item on Luís Montenegro's three-day official visit to the United States.
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