Zelensky's approach misaligns with Trump's foreign policy
Zelensky however did not approach the meeting as a negotiation
Zelensky saw it as an appeal to shared values, viewing international relations in terms of justice, fairness and moral obligations Zelensky tried to convince Trump that Ukraine serves as the last line of defense for Western democracy, expecting unconditional support
However Zelensky's approach was misaligned with the realities of Trump’s foreign policy
For Trump, the idea that the US serves as a moral guardian of democracy is obsolete Trump administration prioritizes American interests above all else
While former president Joe Biden may have seen Ukraine as a strategic partner, Trump sees it as a debtor with an outstanding balance
Trump's goal is to rewrite the geopolitical rule book – 1. no longer positioning the US as the “leader of the free world” 2. but as a nation that operates solely in its own interest
At its core, Trump-Zelensky meeting represented a battle over narratives
Trump’s stance is that US aid must come with a price Zelensky attempted to frame Ukraine’s fight as a broader struggle for democracy but this approach failed to resonate in a transactional framework
The key lesson
Zelensky needed to speak Trump’s language
Instead of focusing on democracy and values, Zelensky should have presented Ukraine’s case in terms of American interests – economic, strategic and geopolitical
