Renowned economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs has delivered a scathing assessment of the U.S.-brokered Washington Declaration, saying it risks turning Armenia into a pawn in the Israel–Iran conflict. In a recent interview with 168.am, Sachs noted that the pact – which reportedly grants the United States long-term control over a strategic transit route through Armenia – could undermine Armenian sovereignty and provoke hostile reactions from Iran and Russia. He cautioned that relying on Washington for security may plunge Armenia into “trouble, not peace.”
Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Should Come from Neighbors, Not Foreign Powers
“Peaceful relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are a good thing, the role of the USA here is problematic, because the U.S. is not part of the South Caucasus region,” said Sachs, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.
While talking about the declaration signed in Washington by Trump, Pashinyan and Aliyev, Sachs mentioned that declarations by themselves do not bring peace. “What brings peace is cooperation among neighbors. What is concerning, is that the South Caucasus is a very complicated region. There are a number of powers in the region. The South Caucasus countries are small by population and surrounded by much larger, more powerful countries, and now the United States is trying to insert itself inside as well. Also Azerbaijan inserted itself, it seems, into the recent war between Israel and Iran. So there’s a lot of concern that the South Caucasus is being used as staging grounds by major powers in ways that will not preserve the peace if it goes in that direction.”
‘Shocking’ 99-Year Lease
Sachs finds it rather shocking for a country to give up its territory in a 99-year lease, like Armenia is doing now, especially to an outside power. “It is viewed with a lot of security concern by the neighbors of Armenia, notably Russia and Iran. So the claim is that Armenia is going to give exclusive rights to the United States for control over part of Armenia for 99 years. It’s rather shocking. I think it’s a very dangerous idea. The idea is that the United States will control it, which is rather amazing, both from the point of view of Armenia’s own security, because the United States could pull Armenia into all sorts of trouble, and it’s also alarming from the point of view of Iran. And frankly, the United States is thousands of miles away. Given that, it seems to me, a very imprudent idea. Armenia is mortgaging its future in a very unstable region.”
Warning: Armenia Risks Being Dragged Into Israel–Iran Conflict
From Iran’s perspective, Sachs said, Armenia’s decision looks like an invitation to war: “Armenia says to the United States ‘sure, you take this land right on Iran’s border. We know that you’re at war with Iran. We know that your ally Israel is at war with Iran. We know that Azerbaijan is an ally of Israel. So sure, no problem.’ Well, that seems like a real way to enmesh Armenia into a war.”
Asked about assurances from the Armenian government that the corridor will promote peace, Sachs replied, “Maybe ask whether the U.S. brought peace to Ukraine. Over the last 11 years, when the U.S. inserted itself into Ukraine, it did not bring peace, it brought war.”
He urged Armenians to maintain decent relations with neighbors and not depend on a distant power that is at war with their neighbor.
‘Another Syria or Ukraine’? The Specter of Proxy Wars
Sachs warned that Armenia is almost asking to become another Syria or Ukraine. “Azerbaijan was a staging ground for Israel for [the Iran war]. Now, Armenia is entering into the same conflict in this way. … That’s not about peace. This is an invitation for trouble. Actually, I think you don’t make peace by provoking the next door neighbor and saying, we’ll be protected by the country thousands of kilometers away.”
He concluded that giving up rights to a foreign power for 99 years raises “a lot of questions and eyebrows… Maybe the U.S. looks like a friend today, but will it be a friend tomorrow?”
Sachs added: “I don’t, frankly, understand what the Armenian political leadership is thinking of, but this is a very provocative and dangerous move, if you look at it purely from the outside, from geopolitical terms, it’s basically putting Armenia into Israel’s war against Iran. Is that really what Armenia wants to do? Wouldn’t it rather have quiet relations, rather than insert itself into what is an ongoing war? I don’t understand it.”
Sachs said, “In my opinion, Armenia is almost asking to be turned into another Syria or Ukraine. People should understand – Azerbaijan is in a very deep intelligence and security relationship with Israel, and this is widely known in the war between Israel and Iran. Azerbaijan was a staging ground for Israel for that war. Now, Armenia is entering into the same conflict in this way. That’s not about peace.”
Sachs added, “Look at the protection that the US actually gives to other countries, it doesn’t exist right now, and so there’s enough evidence that you don’t gamble away your future because you’ve sat in the Oval Office of the White House.”
Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned American economist and public policy expert, currently holding the title of University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. Previously, he directed Columbia’s Earth Institute (2002–2016) and served as a special adviser to multiple UN Secretaries-General (2001–2018), contributing to global frameworks like the Millennium Development Goals. Sachs also leads the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and serves as an SDG Advocate under UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Known for his work guiding post-communist transitions, global poverty eradication, and disease control initiatives—including the Millennium Villages Project—he is also a bestselling author and influential voice in economics and sustainable development.
