European geopolitics through Jeffrey Sachs’s lens
This interview with Jeffrey Sachs at the EU Parliament is one of the most interesting I’ve heard in a long time, and I highly recommend it. I found it refreshing to hear his view on how many wars could and should be avoided, especially given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He delivers a direct review of current and historical affairs and Europe’s position in all of this. At a high level, his argument is that the United States has been dictating global foreign policy, often with negative consequences for everyone else. He ties this overreach to the Ukraine war, which he sees as triggered by U.S. expansion through NATO. A consequence of this U.S.-dominated global policy is that Europe lacks its own foreign policy, as it obviously should have.
Quick Background: Jeffrey Sachs is an American economist and public policy analyst, currently a professor at Columbia University. I’ve previously listened to him alongside John Mearsheimer on the All-In Podcast. Both are rooted in realpolitik, offering aligned descriptions of how the world operates, yet they diverge in their conclusions. Mearsheimer represents an offensive strain of realpolitik, arguing that to prevent a global nuclear war, the U.S. must dominate and consolidate total power. In contrast, Sachs embodies a defensive perspective, contending that this very pursuit of dominance will inevitably provoke a nuclear war.
Expanding further on some of the main points in the interview:
US hegemony and NATO’s push eastwards
Sachs argues that since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, the United States has relentlessly pursued a unipolar world order, with NATO’s eastward expansion as a cornerstone of this strategy. He frames it as a deliberate effort to contain Russia, rooted in the misguided belief that Russia would remain isolated and incapable of forming alliances with powers like China or Iran. The current geopolitical situation demonstrates the miscalculation of this approach.
Absence of foreign policy in Europe
Further, he contends that for nearly three decades, Europe has lacked a distinct foreign policy, instead aligning itself with U.S. directives through NATO. He sharply distinguishes NATO from Europe’s own interests, portraying it not as a defensive alliance rooted in European needs, but as an instrument of American imperialism serving U.S. goals. This subordination, he argues, has stripped Europe of sovereignty over its security, preventing it from crafting an independent foreign policy. As a Norwegian, I found this remark particularly striking: “I did not think it could get any worse than Stoltenberg,” which underscores his frustration with Europe’s deference to NATO’s, and by extension, America’s, leadership.
Diplomacy in the Ukraine war
Two key points stand out. First, Europe, not the U.S., should have led diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine war. Effective diplomacy, however, requires engaging the other side, which Europe has failed to do. Second, this effort is further complicated by Ukrainian President Zelensky’s decision to prohibit dialogue with Russia. Sachs emphasizes that peace negotiations hinge on talking to the opposing party, and with Europe sidelined, the U.S. has stepped in. Yet, Europe should be driving this process. As the continent that will share a border and coexist with Russia for the coming centuries, it has the most at stake and the greatest need for a proactive, independent role in securing peace.
What should Europe do?
First, we need to guarantee our own security, reducing reliance on external powers like the U.S. Second, we must forge a unified European foreign policy(not NATO), one that allows individual nations to retain control over most domestic matters while presenting a cohesive global stance. Finally, Europe should lead peace talks with Russia. This means actively engaging in dialogue, abandoning warmongering rhetoric, and prioritizing diplomacy to de-escalate tensions.