Ambassadors at FSS: What is happening in Ukraine is unforgivable, claims Portuguese diplomat

He has worked in the field of diplomacy for almost forty years now and has held many important functions. Luís de Almeida Sampaio, the Portuguese ambassador to the Czech Republic, paid a visit to the Faculty of Social Studies last week. With the students of the Department of International Relations and European Studies, he discussed topics such as the challenges of today’s world or the cooperation between his home country and the Czech Republic. “Today’s generation of students lives in an era of much bigger challenges than mine did. It could probably only be compared to the generation which lived right after World War II and completely transformed the climate in Europe”, says Sampaio.

How do you evaluate the Czech-Portuguese relations?

From the political and diplomatic perspective, our relations are great. The same goes for the cultural and linguistic point of view, and I must point out the cooperation with Masaryk University, particularly for example with the associate professor Iva Svobodová. This cooperation is the perfect example of the excellency of our bilateral cultural relationship. If we talk about the economic and business relations, there are still things to change.

Can you specify?

Even though our economy is very similar, we cannot unsee a few important differences. Some of our enterprises and sectors are very competitive. Everything that Czechs excel in – nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum calculations, the universe – we are also good at and we have very efficient companies in those areas. We should cooperate more and explore new markets together, whether that is inside or outside the European Union.

However, an important economic area where Portugal is far ahead of the Czech Republic is tourism. How important is this area for mutual relations?

It is very important. A lot of Czechs go to Portugal. Tourism is crucial for us as it makes up 14% of our gross domestic production. An interesting fact is that almost forty percent of tourists visiting Portugal are headed to Madeira.

Ukrainians fiercely fight for independence, and we have to support them

The war in Ukraine is a very relevant topic today. As a person with a long-term experience in international politics, how do you perceive this conflict?

It is a tragedy, and we must use correct terms for what is happening in Ukraine. It is an aggression which is unforgivable, and the regime of Vladimir Putin is fully responsible for it. There is no possible excuse for what is happening there. The Russian president calls the war a “special military operation” and we should fight against this idea.

What do you think about Ukraine’s response so far?

Ukrainians are suffering but still they bravely resist the Russian invasion. They fiercely fight for their independence. And we have to support them as much as we possibly can. The European Union has done a great job in this sense as well as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, even though it has its limits because Ukraine is not a member state.

Do you think Ukraine should be a member state?

It should definitely have the right to freely make decisions about its future without any external interventions, whether we talk about the entrance to the European Union or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Ukrainians have to explicitly state their requests and then it will be up to the member states to decide whether they accept Ukraine or not. According to Article ten of the Washington Treaty, the base document of NATO, the alliance is open to accepting new members.

Today’s generation of students lives in an era of great challenges

You already participated in the course How do they see us? last year, why did you decide to come back and give the students of the Faculty of Social Studies lectures again this year?

Last year, it was an amazing experience. The students asked me a lot of interesting questions. I liked debating with them and that is why I accepted the invitation again. I am definitely not planning on telling the students the same things I told them last year, I will adjust my lecture to current topics.

What would you like to pass on to the students with your lecture?

Taking into consideration my position, I have to be very careful with what I say. I have political and social responsibilities. I would not want the students to get the false impression that they live in non-complicated times. It is the opposite. Their generation is dealing with a very complicated international, economic, and social situation. That is why the students should be able to see the reality of their era. At the same time, they should try to learn from the past and strive for a better and safer future. And that is what I must consider during my lecture. I am happy that I can share my experiences and opinions with students of such a prestigious academic institution that is the Faculty of Social Studies. I am glad to have had the opportunity to visit it, and if the university is interested in the future, I will gladly come back.