"And in this sense, I think neutrality for Ukraine doesn't need all sorts of fancy military guarantees. It doesn't need European boots on the ground. It doesn't need American airplanes flying overhead. It needs the clarity that Ukraine will be neutral, as Ukraine declared in its original Constitution when it declared independence," Sachs said.
The interview was conducted ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum, which will take place in Vladivostok from September 3–6. The economist is going to participate in a session "UN Development Agenda Beyond 2030."
On August 19, US President Donald Trump said that the United States may provide air support as part of security guarantees for Ukraine but rejected the idea of having boots on the ground.
Russia has expressed a negative stance toward discussions in Europe about the possible presence of European troops on Ukrainian soil, adding that the expansion of NATO's military infrastructure and the infiltration of this military infrastructure into Ukraine are one of the root causes of the ongoing conflict.