Brussels — In a fiery speech at the European Parliament, prominent economist and United Nations advisor Jeffrey Sachs declared the war in Ukraine “is over,” urging Europe to break free from what he described as the United States’ militarized foreign policy agenda. He accused NATO of provoking global conflicts for decades and warned against Washington’s hostility toward neutral nations.
Sachs criticized Europe’s lack of a cohesive foreign policy, stating that since the early 2000s, the continent has largely followed U.S. strategic interests, particularly in the context of NATO’s eastward expansion. He highlighted the 2003 Iraq War as the last significant instance where European nations like France and Germany opposed U.S. actions, referencing their refusal to support the war without United Nations approval.
He argued that the U.S. has pursued a policy of unipolar dominance since the end of the Cold War, expanding NATO eastward despite assurances to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that the alliance would not move “one inch” eastward. Sachs pointed to documents available in the National Security Archive that support this claim.
Sachs also criticized U.S. strategic thinking, suggesting it often misjudges other nations’ reactions due to a lack of dialogue. He cited Zbigniew Brzezinski’s 1997 book The Grand Chessboard, which predicted that Russia would accept NATO and EU expansion and never align with China or Iran—predictions Sachs claims have proven incorrect.
He advocated for Europe to engage in direct negotiations with Russia to establish a new security framework that includes Ukraine, Russia, and the broader European region and not directed by the United States.
Watch the Full Speech:
Jeffrey Sachs’ full address at the European Parliament is available via YouTube.