A fascinating analysis and recommendation by Jeff Sachs.
I do not agree with his assertion that Soviet/Russian policy was (and is) solely or largely determined by its genuine "security concerns". He completely ignores or under-emphasizes the genuine democratic aspirations of the people of the Baltic countries, Ukraine, Poland, etc. and their desire to align more closely with the EU. But much of his historical analysis of how US/UK & their European allies broke their pledge to Gorbachev not to expand NATO to its frontier states is correct, and some of his assertions about Ukraine are partially correct.
While I question the veracity and balance in some of Sach's analysis of the past, I tend to fully agree with his recommendations for Europe's new foreign policy. In particular, I agree with him that Europe should move towards reducing, not increasing, its military budget, and investing more in the European Green Deal. I also fully support that Europe should develop amicable and mutually beneficial relations with China, BRICS and the Global South. EU would be wise not to be too dependent or subservient to the many misguided US policies, not to demonize China, and not to blindly support Israel.
A good read.
I do not agree with his assertion that Soviet/Russian policy was (and is) solely or largely determined by its genuine "security concerns". He completely ignores or under-emphasizes the genuine democratic aspirations of the people of the Baltic countries, Ukraine, Poland, etc. and their desire to align more closely with the EU. But much of his historical analysis of how US/UK & their European allies broke their pledge to Gorbachev not to expand NATO to its frontier states is correct, and some of his assertions about Ukraine are partially correct.
While I question the veracity and balance in some of Sach's analysis of the past, I tend to fully agree with his recommendations for Europe's new foreign policy. In particular, I agree with him that Europe should move towards reducing, not increasing, its military budget, and investing more in the European Green Deal. I also fully support that Europe should develop amicable and mutually beneficial relations with China, BRICS and the Global South. EU would be wise not to be too dependent or subservient to the many misguided US policies, not to demonize China, and not to blindly support Israel.
A good read.
Kul
https://www.cirsd.org/en/horizons/horizons-summer-2025--issue-no-31/a-new-foreign-policy-for-europe
A New Foreign Policy for Europe Jeffrey D. Sachs — Project Syndicate
Click here for the article
Summary
Jeffrey D. Sachs argues that Europe urgently needs to rethink its foreign policy, which he says is trapped by fear of Russia and China and excessive reliance on the United States. According to Sachs, the prevailing EU narrative that Russia is an expansionist threat is historically flawed and ignores Russia’s consistent pursuit of security through buffer zones. He contends that NATO expansion, U.S. interference in Ukraine, and abandonment of arms control treaties provoked Moscow, culminating in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Sachs warns that Europe’s alignment with Washington has damaged its economy, particularly through the loss of Russian energy, declining industrial output, and dependence on costly U.S. liquefied natural gas. He also highlights how Europe’s increasingly adversarial stance toward China mirrors its approach to Russia, undermining opportunities for trade, investment, and climate cooperation. Unless it changes course, Sachs suggests, Europe risks economic stagnation, escalating militarization, and isolation from both East and West.
As an alternative, he proposes ten steps for a new European strategy: opening direct diplomacy with Moscow, negotiating a Ukraine peace settlement that excludes NATO expansion, rejecting militarization against China, building independent EU diplomacy beyond NATO, investing in the European Green Deal, cooperating with Russia, China, and India on Eurasian modernization, aligning the EU’s Global Gateway with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, expanding educational cooperation with Africa, and reinforcing a multipolar order under the UN Charter rather than U.S. hegemony.
https://www.cirsd.org/en/horizons/horizons-summer-2025--issue-no-31/a-new-foreign-policy-for-europe
A New Foreign Policy for Europe Jeffrey D. Sachs — Project Syndicate
Click here for the article
Summary
Jeffrey D. Sachs argues that Europe urgently needs to rethink its foreign policy, which he says is trapped by fear of Russia and China and excessive reliance on the United States. According to Sachs, the prevailing EU narrative that Russia is an expansionist threat is historically flawed and ignores Russia’s consistent pursuit of security through buffer zones. He contends that NATO expansion, U.S. interference in Ukraine, and abandonment of arms control treaties provoked Moscow, culminating in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Sachs warns that Europe’s alignment with Washington has damaged its economy, particularly through the loss of Russian energy, declining industrial output, and dependence on costly U.S. liquefied natural gas. He also highlights how Europe’s increasingly adversarial stance toward China mirrors its approach to Russia, undermining opportunities for trade, investment, and climate cooperation. Unless it changes course, Sachs suggests, Europe risks economic stagnation, escalating militarization, and isolation from both East and West.
As an alternative, he proposes ten steps for a new European strategy: opening direct diplomacy with Moscow, negotiating a Ukraine peace settlement that excludes NATO expansion, rejecting militarization against China, building independent EU diplomacy beyond NATO, investing in the European Green Deal, cooperating with Russia, China, and India on Eurasian modernization, aligning the EU’s Global Gateway with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, expanding educational cooperation with Africa, and reinforcing a multipolar order under the UN Charter rather than U.S. hegemony.
Meanwhile the European Union still cannot decide to sanction Israel because a majority is unable to come out with the vote to cut some commercial agreements. What a shame ! It seems the colonial mentality still predominates in the Old Continent.
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