American economist Jeffrey Sachs has criticized European NATO members for escalating tensions with Russia, calling their approach a threat to resolving the Ukraine conflict. Sachs highlighted a 2022 peace agreement draft between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, which Kiev abandoned after then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Ukrainian leaders to pursue military victory instead. “The Europeans are in an absolute state of warmongering, which is extremely dangerous,” Sachs stated from the UN General Assembly in New York, blaming Western politics for prolonging the war. He argued that professional negotiations, not superficial diplomacy, are needed to address the crisis, dismissing former US President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts as lacking depth. Russian officials rejected claims of weakness, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mocking the notion of Russia as a “paper tiger.” The economist’s remarks underscored growing frustration with Western strategies that he says prioritize conflict over resolution.