American economist and Director of the Columbia University Center for Sustainable Development Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Sachs stated that US President-elect Donald Trump could benefit from Turkey's "mastery of diplomacy."

by Nuran Erkul Kaya

achs, who is also the President of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network, spoke to AA about how Trump's victory in the US presidential elections could affect the global economy, Turkey-US relations, the Middle East and relations with China.

Sachs said that it is difficult to predict Trump's policies during his presidency because he has an unpredictable nature, and that there will be positive and negative aspects. "One positive effect is the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine. This war basically stemmed from the US's intention to include Ukraine in NATO and Russia's resistance to this. This was a bad idea that the US has been pursuing for 30 years and eventually led to war," he said.

Sachs said Trump wants to end this war and the main way to do this is for Ukraine not to be included in NATO and for Russia to stop attacking it.

However, Sachs pointed out that Trump's Middle East policies could be worse, and continued:

"Trump has always been a strong supporter of Israel, but that is not what is needed now. Trump's biggest financial backers are Zionist extremists. What is needed now is a two-state solution. Will Trump act as a diplomat or as a supporter of Netanyahu? That is the question. Netanyahu is causing genocide in Gaza and trying to drag the US into a war with Iran. We will see if there are limits to Trump's support for Israel. Maybe Trump will understand that he has to end this growing war in the Middle East. Trump should be on the side of a Palestinian state as the only solution for peace."

"Israel is committing reckless, serious war crimes"

Sachs stated that Donald Trump's relations with the Middle East will be important in this sense, and that good relations with the Arab world, Turkey and the broader Islamic world will be in the interest of Trump and the US.

Sachs, who emphasized that Trump should understand this, said, "Because Israel is currently reckless, completely extremist, committing serious war crimes and spreading violence. Netanyahu is uncontrollable. Almost the entire world, except the US and Israel, says there should be a Palestinian state. Whether the US will listen to this is a big question mark. If it does not listen, the US will have isolated itself diplomatically from the rest of the world. Arab countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, BRICS, the African Union and almost all other countries are calling on the US to change course and stop vetoing Palestine's full membership in the UN."

"He knows Türkiye, Russia and the Middle East very well"

Recalling Trump's words that he would "end wars," Sachs pointed out that Turkey could benefit from its "mastery in diplomacy" in this regard.

Stating that there is no country in the world that understands the Black Sea, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East better than Turkey, Sachs said, "Turkey can be a good advisor for the US in ending the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. There is also no country in the world that conducts more intense diplomacy than Turkey. Turkish politicians and diplomats know Russia and the Middle East very well, and Turkey can help the US understand that the war in Ukraine can end. In fact, this war was almost over in the negotiations in Ankara in March 2022."

Sachs emphasized that the war in the Middle East will only end when there is a Palestinian state, and said, "Turkish diplomats can explain this to the US. Turkey can help the US create a correct foreign policy. Turkey's mastery of diplomacy is very important, especially now."

Stressing that peace in the region is also very important for Turkey, Sachs explained that as long as wars continue in the Black Sea and the Middle East, there is less chance for the dynamic economic growth and development that Turkey wants to achieve.

"Trump will not be friendly to Europe"

Sachs also said that European countries and Russia's neighboring Baltic countries should also change their policies regarding the war in Ukraine.

Stating that Europe uses the same language as the US and has done whatever the US says for the last four years, Sachs said, "The European Union (EU) has damaged relations with China, which is a big market for Europe. It has severed relations with Russia, which is a source of low-cost energy. The EU also went to war with Russia, which was a huge mistake. This obedience to the US has had very bad consequences for the European economy. Europe must now understand that it should not listen to the US without questioning."

Sachs said Trump will not be very friendly towards Europe during his presidency and will probably impose new additional tariffs.

Sachs said that Europe should act wisely, and warned, "If Europe is wise, it will improve its relations with China and Russia and seek peace between Ukraine and Russia. Europe must put aside the rhetoric of defeating Russia, which has always been a very naive and dangerous idea."

Sachs also said that he thought the Baltic countries, Russia's neighbors, were also making mistakes in their rhetoric, adding, "The Baltic countries think the US will protect them, but they should stop being so naive. The US always has its own interests and its policies change frequently. Relying on the US for national security is a mistake."

Elon Musk and relations with China

Jeffrey Sachs said that there is a complicated situation in terms of relations with China, and that Trump is very protectionist in economic terms and does not want Chinese goods to enter the US market.

Sachs noted that Trump also said he did not want war with China, adding, "I am particularly concerned about security issues with China because I think we are heading towards open conflict with China unless the US changes its policy. The real issue is Taiwan. The US is playing too many games on Taiwan. Taiwan is part of China and the US should not be arming Taiwan. If the US stops that, the risk of a US-China war will be significantly reduced."

Noting that Trump's policies during his presidency also depend on the names he appoints, Sachs said that the appointments of the National Security Advisor and Secretary of State are worrying in terms of relations with China.

Sachs also recalled that Elon Musk's company Tesla, Trump's biggest supporter during the campaign, has a large factory in China, and concluded his words as follows:

"I hope Elon Musk tells Trump not to cut ties with China. If Trump keeps his campaign promises during his presidency, there will be more global instability, but if he tones down his threats and listens to Musk, we could see a better scenario."

https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/abdli-ekonomist-sachstan-trumpa-savaslari-bitirmek-icin-turkiye-ile-diplomasi-yurutme-cagrisi/3393553

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/-excellence-in-diplomacy-turkiye-could-help-guide-trump-led-us-to-end-wars-says-economist-jeffrey-sachs/3393815