Russia and the West: From Interest to Misunderstanding

This panel is part of a half-day programme starring Prof. Jacques Sapir, alongside the following panel “Unknown Knowns: The Euro After 25 Years: Builder or Gravedigger of Europe?”

French economist Jacques Sapir, widely regarded as one of France’s leading specialist on Russia, will examine how mutual interest between Russia and the West gave way to lasting misunderstanding. A long-time critic of what he calls the West’s “autistic” reading of Russia, Sapir argues that European and American policymakers have misjudged the country’s economic resilience and strategic logic. He contends that sanctions and isolation have produced counterproductive “boomerang effects,” strengthening Russia’s autonomy while straining Western economies. Drawing on decades of research, Sapir will offer a nuanced, data-driven perspective on how the current impasse emerged—and whether a path to renewed dialogue remains possible.

The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion, including:

• Philip Pilkington, a macroeconomist and Visiting Research Fellow at the Danube Institute, as co-panelist
• Hugo Martin, also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Danube Institute, as moderator

Biography

Jacques Sapir is a French economist and internationally recognized specialist on Russia and economic theory. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and later Director of Studies at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), he has devoted much of his research to the Soviet and post-Soviet economy, the dynamics of industrialization, and the challenges of economic transition. He has taught at leading institutions in France, Russia, and the United States, and is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Widely published, Sapir has authored influential works on macroeconomic theory, globalization, monetary integration, and the future of the euro, including Les trous noirs de la science économique (2000), La fin de l’euro-libéralisme (2006), and most recently La Fin de l’Ordre Occidental? (2024). Beyond academia, he is an active public intellectual, known for his commentaries on European integration, economic sovereignty, and the BRICS, as well as his analysis of the Ukraine conflict and international sanctions.

Today, even in retirement, he continues to teach in Moscow and at the École de Guerre Économique in Paris, bringing decades of expertise at the intersection of economics, geopolitics, and global strategy.

Details

Date&Time: November 5, Wednesday, 2025, 3:30pm
On-site registration: 3:00pm
Venue: Theater, Lónyay-Hatvany Villa, 1 Csónak Street, 1015 Budapest (Entrance: Aranybástya Restaurant)
Language: English

Participation is free; however, due to limited seating, pre-registration is required by clicking the button below.