The Trump-Zelensky meeting should serve as a wake-up call for Trump and his administration. Diplomacy requires nuance, respect, and a deep understanding of geopolitical realities—qualities that cannot be replaced by business acumen alone…… By Syed Atiq ul Hassan
Recently, the world witnessed one of the most dramatic and widely viewed live diplomatic encounters in history. The stage was the Oval Office – the world’s most powerful office -, and the
audience comprised international media and millions of viewers watching on their digital screens. The participants? A global superpower and a war-stricken nation— US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. What was initially expected to be a high-level, closed-door diplomatic discussion turned into a globally broadcasted spectacle.
The question remains: Was this an orchestrated move by Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance to showcase how the US treats weaker allies that resist its deals? Or was the live confrontation triggered by Trump’s taunting remarks about Zelensky’s attire during the Oval Office welcome? Regardless, this unprecedented exchange laid bare the underlying geopolitical tensions stemming from a war that has raged since 2014 and escalated into full-scale conflict with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Underlying Causes of the Russia-Ukraine War
The war between Ukraine and Russia has deep historical and geopolitical roots. Millions of soldiers and civilians have perished, and Ukraine’s infrastructure has been devastated by relentless Russian attacks. The primary catalyst for the conflict lies in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambition to restore Russia’s lost Soviet-era influence. He vehemently opposes the integration of former Soviet states, particularly Ukraine, into the European Union and Western alliances.
Ukraine is a critical piece in this geopolitical puzzle. The nation is rich in natural resources, boasting an estimated 900 billion cubic meters of proven natural gas reserves—making it the second-largest reserve holder in the West. Moreover, Ukraine possesses vast deposits of graphite, titanium, lithium, and other rare earth metals, which are essential for producing weapons, wind turbines, electronics, and various industrial products. Given this wealth of resources, European powerhouses such as Germany, France, Poland and the UK, rely on Ukraine for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The United States, eager to capitalize on these resources, aims to control Ukrainian mining operations to bolster its exports.
Conversely, Russia refuses to relinquish Ukraine to Western influence, determined to keep it outside the European Union and NATO’s sphere. Putin has strategically forged strong alliances with China, North Korea, South Africa, and Middle Eastern states, including Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Russia has established itself as a crucial energy supplier to China, India, Iran, Turkey, and several South American and African nations.
US Support for Ukraine: Strategic or Self-Serving?
European nations and the US have fully backed Ukraine, supplying billions of dollars in military aid and weaponry. However, the motivation behind this support is not purely humanitarian; Western powers have a vested interest in securing access to Ukraine’s resources. While US establishment has historically adopted diplomatic approaches to international conflicts, Donald Trump, a businessman-turned-politician, has taken a starkly different stance.
Trump’s leadership is marked by his transactional worldview. His signature slogan, “America First,” underscores his belief that foreign policy should be dictated by financial and economic gains rather than diplomatic norms. Unlike his predecessors, Trump does not view international relations through a traditional geopolitical lens but as a series of business negotiations where profitability trumps all else.
In his second term, Trump aims to reshape global alliances to serve American economic interests. He is determined to distance Russia from China, even at the expense of longstanding European alliances. However, his approach to maintaining close ties with both China and India, despite their geopolitical rivalries, highlights his lack of understanding of global political complexities. For Trump, every deal is possible as long as financial incentives align, disregarding traditional diplomatic sensitivities.
Trump’s Foreign Policy Gambles and Failures
Trump’s ambitious foreign policy agenda has often bordered on the unrealistic. He once believed he could resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict by offering to transform Gaza into a global entertainment hub featuring casinos and luxury resorts—an idea that was met with widespread rejection. Similarly, his aspirations to annex Canada as the “51st state of the U.S.” or purchase Greenland to exploit its untapped resources fell flat due to fierce opposition from the respective European nations.
Trump’s aggressive tariff policies aimed at boosting US industry backfired when China, Mexico, and Canada retaliated, highlighting the limitations of his business-first strategy. Trump’s belief that he can dictate terms unilaterally without considering global political nuances has often led to diplomatic embarrassments.
The Trump-Zelensky Showdown: A Diplomatic Blunder?
Trump’s handling of the Zelensky meeting further exposed his diplomatic shortcomings. His public remarks belittling Zelensky’s wartime attire not only displayed a lack of sensitivity but also sent a strong message to US allies—under Trump’s leadership, American support comes with strings attached. While some of his supporters applauded his tough stance, critics argued that such behaviour weakens US credibility and emboldens adversaries like Russia and China.
Trump’s approach to international politics is a double-edged sword. His business-minded tactics may work in trade negotiations, but they are ineffective in complex geopolitical conflicts where history, alliances, and national pride play significant roles. His failure to recognize the intricacies of diplomatic relations risks isolating the US from its traditional allies while emboldening its adversaries.
Lessons from the Zelensky Incident
The Trump-Zelensky meeting should serve as a wake-up call for Trump and his administration. Diplomacy requires nuance, respect, and a deep understanding of geopolitical realities—qualities that cannot be replaced by business acumen alone. If Trump continues to prioritize transactional politics over strategic alliances, he may find the US increasingly isolated on the global stage.
While Trump prides himself on being a master dealmaker, he must recognize that not all global conflicts can be resolved through financial negotiations. The world is not a corporate boardroom, and international diplomacy demands a level of finesse that cannot be reduced to dollars and deals.
As the world watches Trump’s second-term foreign policy unfold, one thing is certain: his unorthodox approach will continue to spark controversy, challenge global norms, and reshape America’s position on the world stage. Whether this strategy will bring success or lead to further diplomatic failures remains to be seen.
(The writer, Syed Atiq ul Hassa, is a Sydney-based journalist, analyst, writer, author, editor Tribune International (Australia). He holds the life achievement award 2024 by NSW Government. His email address is shassan@tribune-intl.com ).
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