The weak links will be torn out in any geostrategic chain woven in Washington.
14ymedio, Federico Hernández Aguilar, San Salvador, 3 March 2025 — In what some authors call “high politics” or “great politics” – and what others of us prefer to call “politics with a capital P” – there are certain unwritten rules that world leaders must be careful to observe. While several of these implicit rules are rules of substance, there are also rules of form. There may even be circumstances in which substance and form intermingle, leading to bizarre situations with unpredictable outcomes. A few days ago, the whole world witnessed, in the mythical Oval Office of the White House no less, the unprecedented, astonishing, grotesque outcome of the unforgivable neglect of those elementary rules of courtesy and good manners that give politics its greatness.
The president and vice-president of the United States, the biggest global power, were hosting a meeting prior to the signing of an agreement that, according to the leaked press reports, was clearly unfavourable to Ukraine, as it obliged it to return non-refundable money and to allow the exploitation of its mineral wealth, without in return the certainty of minimum security guarantees against the Russian onslaught.
Volodymir Zelensky had rightly warned that such conditions were unacceptable, and Donald Trump had already, among other things, called the Ukrainian president a “dictator”. It is against this tense backdrop, let us not forget, that the meeting we are now discussing was to take place, and which will go down in history as a terrible example of political negotiation.
In this tense atmosphere, it should not be forgotten, the meeting that we are now commenting on was to take place, and which will go down in history as a terrible example of political negotiation.
When JD Vance spoke of “diplomacy”, it was natural that Zelensky wanted to know what the young vice-president meant by this concept, because it had become clear that this sort of capitulation proposed by Trump did not constitute a “diplomatic” effort for the Ukrainian leader, even less so in the face of a counterpart, Russia, which reneges on signed agreements to exchange prisoners.
This was what the guest respectfully reminded Vance. But it was then that the vice president responded with a rhetorical phrase in poor taste – he said he was referring to “the kind of diplomacy that will put an end to the destruction of your country” – raising his voice to stop Zelensky’s reaction and demanded a respect that his government had not previously shown to a nation that had been the victim of an invasion.
The rest of the conference was disgraceful by any standards: the two highest political officials of the world’s strongest country harassing the Ukrainian president with insults and finger pointing, in a scene that only very fanatical Trumpists would find worthy of the place, the subject matter and the official positions of those assembled there.
Trump’s reckless claim, accusing Zelensky of playing “with World War III”, borders on the surreal. Since when can a country under attack be singled out for starting a planetary conflict? For his part, Ukraine’s leader kept his voice in check, avoided losing his temper but, very importantly, now did he allow himself to be cornered, maintaining a posture of dignity that has been celebrated by the whole of Europe.
It is clear that the US president does not want to enter into moral obligations with Ukraine. The opportunity to ’negotiate’ was therefore perhaps lost for Zelensky beforehand. What this diplomatic fiasco in the White House did demonstrate is that Trump, apart from being (and we already knew this) no champion of democratic ideals, will be deadly aggressive towards those who lack any room to manoeuvre in his eyes. Weak links will be ripped out of any geo-strategic chain concocted in Washington.
What this diplomatic fiasco in the White House did demonstrate is that Trump, apart from being (and we already knew this) no champion of democratic ideals, will be deadly aggressive towards those who lack any room to manoeuvre in his eyes
But even believing they are doing the right thing by leaving Ukraine at Putin’s mercy, Trump and Vance are throwing more than political and military support to a particular Eastern European nation into the pot. The havoc their decision creates (whether prepared in advance or not) has enormous geopolitical effects and an obvious consequence within the US.
The escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war is bad news even for the White House. This powder keg, if it grows in size, will also shatter the credibility of Trump, who had promised to end the conflict on his first day in office. Hence the importance of the bad negotiating manners exhibited at that press conference: Washington will not be able to blame anyone for its failure and its tragic repercussions.
As a direct result, Donald Trump’s popularity among Americans will suffer in the same proportion. It was already doing so before the 28 February incident; now, after the obvious attempt to encircle Zelensky with two barbs, those numbers are likely to fall even further. And what will the White House do to fix this mess? Will it continue with its implausible tendency to open fronts and make enemies everywhere, risking much more than volatile poll numbers, or will it finally understand that politics with a capital P is also nourished by skill, good manners and even a certain amount of nobility?
Translated by GH
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
