Jeffrey Sachs

Last updated: June 3, 2026

👤 Jeffrey Sachs has appeared on the Groong podcast — see their guest profile and interviews →

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs is one of the world’s most influential economists and public intellectuals. A University Professor at Columbia University and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development, Sachs has spent decades advising governments, the United Nations, and international institutions on economic development, poverty reduction, debt relief, and global health. He is also the President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and served as Special Advisor to three successive UN Secretaries-General. His books — including The End of Poverty, Common Wealth, and A New Foreign Policy — have shaped global debates on development economics and US foreign policy for a generation.

Jeffrey Sachs on the Ukraine war. In recent years, Sachs has become one of the most prominent American voices calling for a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, arguing that continued US military escalation prolongs a conflict that could be settled through diplomacy. His positions on Jeffrey Sachs Ukraine policy — including sharp criticism of NATO expansion and US proxy war strategy — have made him a sought-after commentator in media circles skeptical of the mainstream Western foreign policy consensus, and a natural fit for Groong’s independent analytical approach.

Jeffrey Sachs on Armenia and TRIPP. Sachs appeared on Groong to discuss the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) proposal and what a transit corridor through Armenian territory could mean for the country’s economic sovereignty (Ep 466 ). His analysis applied a development economist’s framework to a geopolitical question — examining whether Armenia could benefit economically from corridor arrangements or whether such deals would come at an unacceptable political cost. He returned in an earlier appearance to discuss the escalation in Syria, COP29, and his broader Jeffrey Sachs Armenia foreign policy advice (Ep 391 ).

A global perspective on Jeffrey Sachs geopolitics. What distinguishes Sachs from most Western economists who comment on the South Caucasus is his willingness to challenge the institutional consensus. His critique of US foreign policy exceptionalism — developed at length in A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism — frames his reading of Armenia’s choices between great powers. Where most Western analysts default to a pro-NATO framing, Sachs advocates a more genuinely non-aligned approach for small states caught between competing blocs, making his perspective particularly relevant to Armenia’s current foreign policy pivot. See his full biography and complete episode list on his guest page .

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Jeffrey Sachs.

Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]

Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Category: Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, European Union, Economy, NATO, Human Rights | Series: cog

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election campaign and opposition strategy
  • EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
  • Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
  • Domestic priorities and election integrity

Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh

Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]

Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Category: Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, European Union, Economy, NATO, Human Rights

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election campaign and opposition strategy
  • EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
  • Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
  • Domestic priorities and election integrity

Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh

Transcript: Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]

Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Category: Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, European Union, Economy, NATO, Human Rights, Transcript

Anna Grigoryan of Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia Alliance) joins Groong to discuss Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election and the start of the official campaign. The conversation examines the EPC and Armenia-EU summits in Yerevan, EU political and financial support for Pashinyan, Aliyev’s remote demarche, and opposition protests around Artsakh rights, Armenian prisoners, and democratic backsliding. The episode also covers opposition coalition math, Hayastan Dashinq’s 8% bloc threshold, Strong Armenia’s lead among opposition forces, possible post-election governing formulas,  Read More

Jeffrey Sachs - TRIPP down Zangezur Corridor | Ep 466, Aug 29, 2025 [EP466]

Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, USA, Economy, Israel, European Union, NATO | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan, Aliyev, in the White House
  • What “Peace”?
  • Armenian Economy

Episode 466 | Recorded: August 28, 2025

Jeffrey Sachs - TRIPP down Zangezur Corridor | Ep 466, Aug 29, 2025 [EP466]

Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, USA, Economy, Israel, European Union, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan, Aliyev, in the White House
  • What “Peace”?
  • Armenian Economy

Episode 466 | Recorded: August 28, 2025

Transcript: Jeffrey Sachs - TRIPP down Zangezur Corridor | Ep 466, Aug 29, 2025 [EP466]

Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, USA, Economy, Israel, European Union, NATO, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs joins to discuss the U.S.-brokered “TRIPP” (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), also known as the Zangezur Corridor. The discussion covers the risks of foreign powers imposing corridors through Armenia, the muted response from Moscow, Tehran’s strong opposition, and what this means for regional security. Sachs stresses that Armenia should not look to distant powers like the United States for security or stability, but instead pursue prudent arrangements and economic cooperation with its immediate  Read More

Sergei Melkonian - Israel & Iran, Opposition Crackdown, Pashinyan in Istanbul | Ep 449, Jun 22, 2025 [EP449]

Posted on Thursday, Jun 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Church, Economy, China, Middle East | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Sergei Melkonian - Israel & Iran, Opposition Crackdown, Pashinyan in Istanbul | Ep 449, Jun 22, 2025 [EP449]

Posted on Thursday, Jun 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Church, Economy, China, Middle East

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Warwick Powell - U.S., China, Tariff Wars, and Multipolarity | Ep 427, Apr 8, 2025 [EP427]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2025 | Category: Armenia, World, Geopolitics, Economy, USA, China, India, Iran, Russia, Israel, BRICS | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • U.S. Tariff Wars
  • Target: Iran
  • The Global South
  • The Belt and Road Initiative

Episode 427 | Recorded: April 6, 2025

Warwick Powell - U.S., China, Tariff Wars, and Multipolarity | Ep 427, Apr 8, 2025 [EP427]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2025 | Category: Armenia, World, Geopolitics, Economy, USA, China, India, Iran, Russia, Israel, BRICS

Guest:

Topics:

  • U.S. Tariff Wars
  • Target: Iran
  • The Global South
  • The Belt and Road Initiative

Episode 427 | Recorded: April 6, 2025

Transcript: Warwick Powell - U.S., China, Tariff Wars, and Multipolarity | Ep 427, Apr 8, 2025 [EP427]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2025 | Category: Armenia, World, Geopolitics, Economy, USA, China, India, Iran, Russia, Israel, BRICS, Transcript

In this Conversations on Groong episode, we speak with Professor Warwick Powell about the tectonic shifts in global trade, economics, and geopolitics. From Washington’s renewed tariff wars to China’s expanding influence through BRICS and infrastructure initiatives like the BRI, Powell shares his insights on the emerging multipolar order and the declining dominance of the U.S.-centric financial system.

Dziunik Aghajanian - Illusions of Peace and Geopolitical Games | Ep 424 - Mar 23, 2025 [EP424]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Middle East, Israel, Geopolitics, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Ukraine, China | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump’s Iran ultimatum explored
  • Turkey’s protests seen as strategic
  • Azerbaijan’s peace deal as smokescreen
  • Armenia’s Westward drift analyzed
  • Gyumri elections stir controversy

Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025

Dziunik Aghajanian - Illusions of Peace and Geopolitical Games | Ep 424 - Mar 23, 2025 [EP424]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Middle East, Israel, Geopolitics, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Ukraine, China

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump’s Iran ultimatum explored
  • Turkey’s protests seen as strategic
  • Azerbaijan’s peace deal as smokescreen
  • Armenia’s Westward drift analyzed
  • Gyumri elections stir controversy

Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025

Arthur G Martirosyan - Ukraine, Edgar Ghazaryan, Robert Kocharyan, Yerevan Bus Fares | Ep 418, Feb 23, 2025 [EP418]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, China, Iran, NATO, Israel, European Union, Syria | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ukraine Negotiations in Riyadh
  • Edgar Ghazayan Bullied by the Government
  • Robert Kocharyan Press Conference
  • Yerevan Bus Fares

Episode 418 | Recorded: February 24, 2025

Arthur G Martirosyan - Ukraine, Edgar Ghazaryan, Robert Kocharyan, Yerevan Bus Fares | Ep 418, Feb 23, 2025 [EP418]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, China, Iran, NATO, Israel, European Union, Syria

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ukraine Negotiations in Riyadh
  • Edgar Ghazayan Bullied by the Government
  • Robert Kocharyan Press Conference
  • Yerevan Bus Fares

Episode 418 | Recorded: February 24, 2025

Glenn Diesen & Arman Grigoryan - The Incoming Multipolar World | Ep 411, Feb 9, 2025 [EP411]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 9, 2025 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, World Order, Syria, Israel, USA, China, Middle East, BRICS, European Union, NATO, Turkey, Armenia, Economy, Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, India | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • The Ongoing conflicts: Gaza, Syria, Ukraine
  • Shifting Global Power and Alliances
  • Small Countries in a Multipolar World

Episode 411 | Recorded: February 6, 2025

Glenn Diesen & Arman Grigoryan - The Incoming Multipolar World | Ep 411, Feb 9, 2025 [EP411]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 9, 2025 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, World Order, Syria, Israel, USA, China, Middle East, BRICS, European Union, NATO, Turkey, Armenia, Economy, Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, India

Guest:

Topics:

  • The Ongoing conflicts: Gaza, Syria, Ukraine
  • Shifting Global Power and Alliances
  • Small Countries in a Multipolar World

Episode 411 | Recorded: February 6, 2025

Transcript: Glenn Diesen & Arman Grigoryan - The Incoming Multipolar World | Ep 411, Feb 9, 2025 [EP411]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 9, 2025 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, World Order, Syria, Israel, USA, China, Middle East, BRICS, European Union, NATO, Turkey, Armenia, Economy, Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, India, Transcript

The Ongoing conflicts: Gaza, Syria, Ukraine. Shifting Global Power and Alliances. Small Countries in a Multipolar World.

Tevan Poghosyan - Incoming Trump, Armenia Azerbaijan Talks, Iran Visit, Pro-West Signals | Ep 404, Jan 12, 2025 [EP404]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, USA, Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Syria, China, Georgia, Middle East, NATO, Economy, Genocide, Lebanon, European Union | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Incoming Trump Admin
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
  • Iran Security Chief Visit
  • Armenia’s Pro-West Signals

Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025

Tevan Poghosyan - Incoming Trump, Armenia Azerbaijan Talks, Iran Visit, Pro-West Signals | Ep 404, Jan 12, 2025 [EP404]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, USA, Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Syria, China, Georgia, Middle East, NATO, Economy, Genocide, Lebanon, European Union

Guest:

Topics:

  • Incoming Trump Admin
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
  • Iran Security Chief Visit
  • Armenia’s Pro-West Signals

Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025

Karen Kwiatkowski on Turkey, NATO, and the 44-Day War | Ep 392 - Dec 7, 2024 [EP392]

Posted on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 | Category: Politics, Turkey, NATO, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, USA, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Iran, Middle East, Geopolitics, Syria, China, Genocide, Georgia, Lebanon, European Union | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War
  • NATO and Intelligence Sharing
  • Global Power Rivalries
  • Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices

Episode 392 | Recorded: December 2, 2024

Karen Kwiatkowski on Turkey, NATO, and the 44-Day War | Ep 392 - Dec 7, 2024 [EP392]

Posted on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 | Category: Politics, Turkey, NATO, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, USA, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Iran, Middle East, Geopolitics, Syria, China, Genocide, Georgia, Lebanon, European Union

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War
  • NATO and Intelligence Sharing
  • Global Power Rivalries
  • Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices

Episode 392 | Recorded: December 2, 2024

Transcript: Karen Kwiatkowski on Turkey, NATO, and the 44-Day War | Ep 392 - Dec 7, 2024 [EP392]

Posted on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 | Category: Politics, Turkey, NATO, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, USA, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Iran, Middle East, Geopolitics, Syria, China, Genocide, Georgia, Lebanon, European Union, Transcript

Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War. NATO and Intelligence Sharing. Global Power Rivalries. Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices.

Jeffrey Sachs - Escalation in Syria, COP29, Advice for Armenia | Ep 391 - Dec 5, 2024 [EP391]

Posted on Thursday, Dec 5, 2024 | Category: Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, USA, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Iran, Ukraine, Israel, Middle East, Georgia, BRICS, NATO, Geopolitics, China, European Union, Lebanon | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Escalation in Syria
  • COP29 Summit
  • Can NATO save Armenia?

Episode 391 | Recorded: December 4, 2024

Jeffrey Sachs - Escalation in Syria, COP29, Advice for Armenia | Ep 391 - Dec 5, 2024 [EP391]

Posted on Thursday, Dec 5, 2024 | Category: Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, USA, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Iran, Ukraine, Israel, Middle East, Georgia, BRICS, NATO, Geopolitics, China, European Union, Lebanon

Guest:

Topics:

  • Escalation in Syria
  • COP29 Summit
  • Can NATO save Armenia?

Episode 391 | Recorded: December 4, 2024

Transcript: Jeffrey Sachs - Escalation in Syria, COP29, Advice for Armenia | Ep 391 - Dec 5, 2024 [EP391]

Posted on Thursday, Dec 5, 2024 | Category: Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, USA, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Iran, Ukraine, Israel, Middle East, Georgia, BRICS, NATO, Geopolitics, China, European Union, Lebanon, Transcript

Escalation in Syria. COP29 Summit. Can NATO save Armenia?

Arthur G. Martirosyan - Government Firings by Text, Another Scandalous Pashinyan Interview, New Escalation in Ukraine | Ep 387 - Nov 24, 2024 [EP387]

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 26, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, China, Genocide, Economy, Middle East, NATO, Syria | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Supreme Judicial Council Head, MPs resign at Pashinyan’s “Ask”
  • Another Pashinyan Interview, More Scandalous Statements
    • Speed Cameras, Government Officials Cars
    • “Western Azerbaijan” ≠ “Western Armenia”
    • EU Mission in Armenia
  • New Escalation in Ukraine

Episode 387 | Recorded: November 25, 2024

Arthur G. Martirosyan - Government Firings by Text, Another Scandalous Pashinyan Interview, New Escalation in Ukraine | Ep 387 - Nov 24, 2024 [EP387]

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 26, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, China, Genocide, Economy, Middle East, NATO, Syria

Guest:

Topics:

  • Supreme Judicial Council Head, MPs resign at Pashinyan’s “Ask”
  • Another Pashinyan Interview, More Scandalous Statements
    • Speed Cameras, Government Officials Cars
    • “Western Azerbaijan” ≠ “Western Armenia”
    • EU Mission in Armenia
  • New Escalation in Ukraine

Episode 387 | Recorded: November 25, 2024