Jeffrey Sachs says NATO’s hostility towards Russia is blocking possible settlement

(MENAFN) According to reports, American economist Jeffrey Sachs has criticized European NATO members for intensifying hostility toward Russia, warning that such actions hinder prospects for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine.

Sachs referenced a draft peace agreement negotiated between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in 2022, which was later abandoned after Kiev, reportedly encouraged by then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, opted to pursue a military solution instead.

“Unfortunately, the Europeans are in an absolute state of warmongering, which is also very dangerous,” Sachs said from the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “What could be peace continues with war. And this is a failure of American politics and failure of European politics.”

A long-standing critic of Western policy toward Russia, Sachs has argued that the actions of the US and Europe have escalated tensions in Ukraine to a critical point. He expressed doubt about US President Donald Trump’s capacity to mediate a settlement, suggesting that Washington’s diplomatic efforts lack both scale and expertise.
“There should be professional, detailed, skilled negotiations to get to actual detailed solutions,” he said, adding that Trump is “not a details person” and “not even stable.”

After months of indicating that Kiev would need to make concessions for peace, Trump recently shifted his stance, describing Russia as a “paper tiger” and suggesting that Ukraine could reclaim all its territory with European financial support.

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