What Do We Know About Jeffrey Sachs?

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Jeffrey Sachs
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On December 15, an interview with American economist Jeffrey Sachs aired on the Imedi TV channel, during which Sachs voiced several pro-Russian and anti-American messages:

  • The U.S. causes conflicts in various regions.
  • The promise made at the Bucharest Summit to admit Ukraine and Georgia into NATO was a Western provocation against Russia.
  • The U.S. disrupted peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
  • The U.S. does not care about Georgia’s fate; in reality, the U.S. and Russia are playing against each other on a grand chessboard.

While discussing the Caucasus region, Sachs also praised the 3+3 format and China’s various economic initiatives and investments. Additionally, it is noteworthy that when speaking about the war in Ukraine, Sachs used the Russian propaganda term “special military operation.” Sachs also believes that the annexation of Crimea is justified.

Jeffrey Sachs

After Jeffrey Sachs’ interview with Imedi, his comments were actively covered and disseminated by other media outlets as well. Imedi alone published an additional 12 posts featuring Sachs’ comments across various Facebook pages, including TV Imedi (1,2,3,4,5,6), Radio Imedi (1,2,3), IMEDINEWS (1,2), and TV Imedi – News. Another interview with Sachs, conducted by Tucker Carlson, was covered by the Public Broadcaster and Rustavi 2.

Pro-government expert Gia Abashidze’s assessment of the interview was also actively shared in various groups.

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On December 17, Sozar Subari, a member of the People’s Power party, commented on Jeffrey Sachs’ interview, saying that Donald Trump had offered Sachs a high-ranking position in his administration. However, it is notable that no such information can be found in open sources. Currently, the names of several individuals whom Trump is considering for various positions in his administration are known, but Jeffrey Sachs is not among them. It is worth noting that during Trump’s previous presidency, Jeffrey Sachs was a vocal critic, stating in one of his interviews that Trump was the worst political leader. After Trump’s reelection, Sachs has not criticized him as harshly, but he said that due to Trump’s unpredictable nature, it is difficult to forecast his political decisions as president and that Trump’s presidency will have both positive and negative aspects. Sachs noted that one potential positive aspect might be the end of the war in Ukraine, but Trump’s policies in the Middle East could turn out to be worse. 

  • Jeffrey Sachs has also voiced anti-American messages in pro-Kremlin media 

The pro-Kremlin narratives expressed by Jeffrey Sachs in his interview with Imedi TV have been repeatedly voiced by him in the past as well. Notably, Sachs has frequently appeared on the TV show of Vladimir Solovyov, a Kremlin propagandist and active supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war. Sachs has also given interviews to Russia’s First Channel multiple times. Recently, Sachs has appeared in American media, particularly in interviews with Tucker Carlson (1,2,3). His comments also frequently appear in Kremlin-backed propaganda outlets (1,2,3

ra vitsith jephri saqsze2 What Do We Know About Jeffrey Sachs?

Sachs’ promotion of Kremlin narratives has not gone unnoticed in the Western press or in Ukraine. In January 2023, the Wall Street Journal published an article by Adrian Karatnycky, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, titled “Putin’s American Cheerleaders,” about Sachs and two other American academics. The article states that Sachs frequently appears on Solovyov’s show, accuses the West of provoking Russia, and supports ending the war by Ukraine conceding territory.

“Every U.S. citizen has a right to express an opinion about the issues of the day. And experts are free to challenge the pro-Ukraine views held by the vast majority of Americans. But cooperation with official propagandists who beat the drum for a state perpetrating massive war crimes and atrocities is another matter,” the article reads.

  • Who Criticizes Jeffrey Sachs and Why?

In March 2023, a critical letter was published on the University of California, Berkeley’s website, signed by over 300 economists, including many Ukrainians. (While the letter is no longer available on the university’s site, it can still be accessed in its archived form and through a version published on Vox Ukraine the same day.)

“We are a group of economists, including many Ukrainians, who were appalled by your statements on the Russian war against Ukraine and were compelled to write this open letter to address some of the historical misrepresentations and logical fallacies in your line of argument,” reads the letter. 

Additionally, Sachs was criticized by Ukrainian Parliament member Oleg Dunda in a letter published in The Hill

Both of the letters highlight several narratives and their fallacies that are common in Sachs’ essays and TV commentaries. These same pro-Kremlin narratives also surfaced in his interview with Imedi TV.

Sachs actually disregards the independent political will of Ukraine and Georgia when they chose a Western course. According to him, the desire for NATO membership in these countries was, in reality, driven by the U.S., and he blames the U.S. for the wars initiated by Russia in Georgia and Ukraine.

“It was, after all, the US attempt to expand NATO to Georgia and Ukraine that triggered the wars in Georgia (in 2010) and in Ukraine (2014 until today),” Sachs writes. (In his essay, Sachs misstates the date of the war in Georgia as 2010 instead of 2008.)

Jeffrey Sachs places the blame for Russia’s aggression squarely on NATO, directly echoing Kremlin narratives. He also incorrectly associates the 2014 protests in Ukraine with the country’s desire for NATO integration. The letter of economists points out that the Euromaidan protests of 2013-2014 began after the rejection of the Association Agreement, and integration into NATO was not part of their agenda.

Sachs’ proposed resolution to the conflict actually aligns closely with Russia’s desires. He also justifies Russia’s territorial claims over the Crimean Peninsula, although the annexation was a violation of international law.

“The basis for peace is clear. Ukraine would be a neutral non-NATO country. Crimea would remain home to Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet, as it has been since 1783. A practical solution would be found for the Donbas, such as a territorial division, autonomy, or an armistice line,” Sachs writes.

The economists’ open letter strongly criticizes this plan, stating that there is no guarantee that Russia will stop its aggression after such concessions.

In one interview, Sachs also remarked that calling Putin a former KGB colonel and murderer, a bandit is such vulgarity and irresponsibility that it could lead to the death of everyone.

Sachs often asserts that the West sabotaged negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. This narrative not only repeats Kremlin propaganda but is also disinformation. This is evident from an investigation by The New York Times. The newspaper studied documents related to the negotiations and interviewed over ten officials from Ukraine, Russia, and the West. The NYT investigation revealed that the talks failed due to the unacceptability of and mistrust in the conditions proposed by Russia. The conditions Russia presented did not offer Ukraine any security guarantees.

The narratives frequently voiced by Sachs, suggesting that the West has always sought Russia’s destruction and that NATO and Ukraine pose a threat to Russia, portray the state responsible for initiating wars in neighboring countries and occupying their territories as a victim.

It is also worth noting that when discussing the Russia-Ukraine war, Sachs uses the Kremlin’s propaganda term “special military operation.” 

  • Sachs’ Attitude to China

In his interview with Imedi TV, Jeffrey Sachs positively assessed China’s economic initiatives, and, much like with Kremlin narratives, he often discusses China in a favorable light.

In 2022, Sachs was awarded the Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, established by Taiwan. After the 2023 laureates’ lecture and press conference, the Taiwanese outlet Taiwannews published a critical article about Sachs, saying that he was spreading Beijing’s and the Kremlin’s propaganda.

The Taiwannews article states that by receiving the Tang Prize, Sachs used Taiwan’s Tang Prize as a platform to praise China and spread Kremlin propaganda. Sachs praised the work of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, stating that “this is what governments need.” Notably, the National Development and Reform Commission operates China’s social credit system. This system monitors and assesses the trustworthiness of individuals, companies, and government entities in the eyes of the Communist Party of China.

Sachs has also frequently appeared on China’s state media platform, CGTN. In correspondence with Airmail, when asked about collaborating with questionable media outlets, Sachs responded that he believes in keeping open communication channels across a wide range of interlocutors.

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