Israel must learn Trump's altered rules of diplomatic discourse from Zelensky meeting
Israel must take note as it navigates complex foreign policy challenges, it cannot assume that traditional diplomatic norms remain intact
Israel, facing critical foreign policy challenges with key allies, must draw lessons from Friday’s White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
The primary takeaway
Diplomatic discourse no longer follows the same rules as in the past
On Friday, Trump and Zelensky met in Washington for discussions that ultimately collapsed
The Ukrainian leader left the White House without signing the agreement that had been expected
The tense interaction between the two leaders provided a stark lesson in negotiations The first rule of negotiation is understanding the nature of the conversation
Zelensky approached the meeting from a moral and ideological standpoint, emphasizing justice and values
Trump, in contrast, framed the discussion as a business transaction Trump sought – and succeeded – to redefine the diplomatic framework: No more traditional alliances, only mutual interests
