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Dietmar Pichler

The Controversial Views of Economist Jeffrey Sachs on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and Beyond

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Updated February 21, 2026

Jeffrey David Sachs (*November 5, 1954) is an American economist and policy advisor. He teaches at Columbia University and heads the Center for Sustainable Development. Additionally, he is the president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an SDG ambassador (Sustainable Development Goals). He was known for his advisory work on the economic transformation of post-Soviet societies. Today, Sachs is a frequent presence in media, conferences, and panel discussions worldwide. His appearances and core narratives are highly repetitive. Sachs is shared both by far-right actors and those aligned with the left, as well as supporters of the so-called „peace movement.“ Speeches by Jeffrey Sachs were also shared by Elon Musk (on X), Donald Trump (on Truth Social) and director Oliver Stone (on X).

Excerpts from his speeches, such as those at the UN or at the invitation of the Bündnis Wagenknecht in the EU Parliament, are frequently spread on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X, reaching extremely high engagement. Sachs has appeared on Chinese, Iranian, and Russian state-affiliated channels. He has also made multiple appearances on the show of notorious propagandist and war-monger Vladimir Solovyov.

During a podcast conversation in January 2025 with former RT Deutsch host Jasmin Kosubek, Sachs said about the COVID-19 pandemic: „If you look at where COVID came from… I’ll give you 98% 99% it came out of a US laboratory research project.“

In a 2023 discussion with political scientist Prof. Heinz Gärtner, Sachs, alongside his usual narratives, stated: „Bucha may or may not have happened.“ The video can still be found on YouTube under the revealing title: “US Neocons Are Warmongering Around The World To Dominate The Globe | Jeffrey Sachs Speech in Vienna” US Neocons Are Warmongering Around The World To Dominate The Globe | Jeffrey Sachs Speech in Vienna

In an interview with controversial podcaster and former Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson, Jeffrey Sachs, besides his usual well-known positions, said about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: „I think Lavrov is absolutely remarkable, and I’ve known him for 30 years. He is astoundingly smart and astoundingly capable, and he is astoundingly someone that we should be speaking with to find an answer to this.“

During one of Jeffrey Sachs’ visits to the show of Russian state propagandist Solovyov in March 2023, Solovyov praised Sachs‘ speech at the UN Security Council: „I have to admit, Jeffrey, that your speech in front of the United Nations Security Council did work fine.“ Sachs also spoke about a „small group“ that believes „the world only works if the USA is at the wheel.“ He added that he speaks about this every day (Sachs indeed seems highly motivated to spread his messages to the public). Sachs further stated in this 2023 conversation (during the Biden era): „There are people that obviously in power in the United States, who believe that these proxy wars are a great innovation.“

Jeffrey Sachs on Soloviev Live – 3/9/2023
Quelle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-VQRyNPWZg

In 2025, Sachs was invited as a speaker to the EU Parliament by the Bündnis Wagenknecht.

Sachs claims that he was told how all the people around the Maidan were paid: „how the US Paid all the Money for all the People around the Maidan.“ He then questions where all the buses, people, and organizations came from: „are you kidding, this is organized effort.“ Sachs does not seem to consider the possibility that Ukraine’s traditionally active civil society, particularly in an Eastern European context, might have organized itself. By doing so, he indirectly denies them their own agency. This is also evident in his use of the term „Proxy War.“

Sachs repeatedly reduces Russia’s motivation for its invasion to the alleged “NATO threat,” while ignoring the fact that there was no comparable reaction to Finland’s NATO accession and that Russia even withdrew troops from there. He states: „What was Putin’s Intention, in the war, not the Propaganda that’s written About that“ „the idea was to keep NATO and what is NATO, it’s the United States, off of Russia’s Border.“ Furthermore, in his speech at the EU Parliament, Sachs said: „What was Putin’s Intention in the war?“ „it was to force Zelensky to negotiate neutrality.“

March 2025: Jeffrey Sachs is celebrated on RT, the kremlins voice and propaganda channel to the west, for his appearance in the EU Parliament

Addressing Europe, Sachs stated: „Trump and President Putin will agree to end the war“ „if Europe does all its great warmongering it doesn’t matter, the war is ending“ „I said, don’t go to Kiev go to Moscow.“ (Note: The source video uses the Russian transcription of the Ukrainian capital.)

Regarding Ukraine’s role in negotiations, he argues: „Europe does not Need to have Ukraine in the room when Europe talks to Russia.“ Specifically concerning the Baltic states, Sachs said: „Bombast and Russophobia is not serving your security at all“ „stop the yelling, stop the warmongering and discuss with the Russian Counterparts.“

Interestingly, Sachs does not mention the rhetoric in Russia, the expansionist fantasies of Deputy Security Council and former President Medvedev, or the fact that the very propagandist Solovyov—whom Sachs has visited multiple times—recently spoke about conquering the Baltics, Armenia, and Central Asia.

Shortly after his appearance at the EU Parliament, Jeffrey Sachs gave an interview to the Russian state channel RT.com. The RT moderator, visibly excited about Sachs‘ speech, praised him enthusiastically: „I really admire your work“ and „That speech you gave at the EU Parliament sent ripples around the world.“

In April 2025, Jeffrey Sachs appeared at a mass demonstration „against the EU’s rearmament“ and „for peace,“ organized by various left-wing groups in Italy, including the populist Five Star Movement as well as the social-democratic Partito Democratico. There, he said things like: „Talk with the Russians,“ „They’re ready to negotiate,“ „Invite President Putin to Rome, he will be inspired by you.“ Note: Western leaders have made various attempts to contact the Kremlin and stop the war—both since 2014, before the full-scale invasion in 2022, and afterwards. Nevertheless, the Russian leadership continues to insist on subjugating Ukraine and annexing several territories.

In January 2025, a group of Georgian scholars published a collective letter titled “Propaganda, Jeffrey Sachs and Our Resistance: A View from the Georgian Academic Community.” Initially shared on the platform “Georgian Education Under Threat,” the letter responded to Sachs’ interview on the pro-government TV channel Imedi. The scholars aimed to raise awareness of the public debate in Georgia, which they felt Sachs had overlooked, and to express concern over how his comments were being used within the country’s tense political climate. They criticized Sachs for portraying Georgia’s pro-European protests as foreign-orchestrated and for downplaying the role of local democratic movements. (more here)

Sachs has appeared several times not only in Russian but also in Chinese state-controlled media. In October 2025, he appeared together with John Mearsheimer on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen. Both Mearsheimer and Diesen have also appeared on RT. Sachs has made several appearances on Glenn Diesen’s YouTube channel. Another guest on Diesen’s YouTube channel was former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who became known for inviting Vladimir Putin to her wedding and later moving to Russia. Sachs was also a speaker at the „All-In Summit,“ also together with John Mearsheimer. Other speakers listed on the event’s website include Peter Thiel and Tucker Carlson.

In October 2025, Sachs had a heated verbal confrontation with Italian liberal politician Carlo Calenda on Italian TV. Sachs claimed that he had been shown around Maidan in 2014 and told who was paid. Calenda strongly criticized the statements. Sachs asked Calenda, “You call me a liar?” and Calenda replied, “Sì, assolutamente” (Yes, absolutely).

About Iran, he said in January 2026, in the so called “Judging Freedom” podcast, “this is a well known playbook, we are watching a regime change operation”. Also in January 2026 he co authored a guest article in Al Jazeera titled “In Iran, the US-Israeli addiction to hybrid warfare is on full display”.

In February 2026, the left-wing political alliance „DIEM25“ announced the event titled „Europe Has Become a War Project — Can It Be Stopped? | Yanis Varoufakis & Jeffrey Sachs“.

In February 2026, Sachs said on the channel „Judging Freedom“: „Zelenskyy and his gang rule by decree in a massively corrupt setup. They don’t want to end the war.“ He further added „that there is the issue of NATO enlargement“.

The statement was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Prof. Steve Hanke from Johns Hopkins University. It was not the first time Hanke shared Sachs; he had also previously shared content featuring John Mearsheimer

 

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