Russia has “significant firepower” and it is reckless to talk about defeating the country, according to a former Soviet economic adviser.
Jeffrey Sachs, now a professor of economics at Columbia University, said the United States seems to believe it can defeat Russia militarily, and the West supports Ukraine in its efforts to push Russia out.
“With this view, Ukraine has decided not to continue the ongoing negotiations, although the talks progressed in late March,” he told CNBC Street Signs Asia on Friday. Instead, Ukraine “changed the melody and said that now their goal is to defeat Russia.”
“This means an escalation of the war, an escalation of global dangers, an escalation of the economic consequences and a missed opportunity to find a way out of this conflict, which is already taking shape,” Sachs said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this week that he did not expect peace talks with Ukraine to take place in the near future.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment, which was sent after business hours.
I believe that the dangers are very great and that there is a lot of naivety at the moment …
Jeffrey Sachs
former economic adviser to the Soviet Union
“Great danger”
At this point, there is no departure from the “clear goals of the US war” and this is a dangerous situation, Sachs said.
“I’ve been through decades of reckless US foreign policy, US bravado, and I’m afraid we’re on it again,” he said. “This is not about approving the Russian invasion.
“I believe that the dangers are very great and that there is a lot of naivety at the moment, and Ukraine has joined in.”
There could be many destructions, loss of life and “great danger to the whole world”, including in the form of economic spillovers, the professor said.
Russia has “significant firepower” and it is reckless to talk about victory over the country, said Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University.
Tian Bing Chinese News Service Getty Images
He added that Finland’s expected bid to join NATO is hampering the outcome of negotiations and that it is leading NATO and Russia “right to the brink”.
Not everyone agrees.
Michal Baranowski of the German Marshall Fund said the potential expansion of NATO to the Nordic countries reduces the chances of conflict with Russia.
Instead, if countries like Finland and Sweden are not part of the alliance, Russia is more likely to confront them, he told CNBC’s Capital Connection on Friday.
“Bringing Sweden and Finland [into NATO] it makes our alliances safer and less likely to have a military confrontation with Russia, although it is clear that this, of course, will not be to the liking, “said Baranowski, a senior aide.
Add Comment