In an important meeting in Washington, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump managed to restore their positions in diplomatic relations. As a result, Russia's President Vladimir Putin found himself in an unexpectedly difficult situation, reports The Telegraph.
The publication highlights that Zelensky made the right decision regarding his attire for this meeting. Last time, in February, his outfit was negatively received by Americans, but this time he maintained his composure and confidence, choosing a black jacket, as he did at Pope Francis' funeral in April.
Trump was pleased and surprised by the decision. When a journalist who had previously asked tough questions praised Zelensky's new outfit, the Ukrainian President responded with a smile, saying, "You are still in that suit." He added, "I have changed. You haven’t." Everyone laughed. While the journalist may not have noticed the irony, others in the room understood.
Zelensky and his European allies' strategy was clear: show respect and friendliness to Trump while maintaining a firm stance toward their adversaries.
Furthermore, Zelensky also used another tactic by delivering a letter from his wife to the First Lady of the United States, Melania. The letter referred to a similar message Melania had sent to Putin, urging him to protect children.
This tactic, both in terms of substance and performance, was ideal. It allowed Zelensky to use the opportunity to turn the US' support into something beneficial on a personal level. Psychologically, this approach appeared to successfully sway Trump to his side.
Although the overall result was not perfect for Ukraine, compared to the Alaskan summit, the European alliance achieved significant strategic success. Furthermore, unlike in the past when Trump had accused Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader convinced the US President to genuinely engage with the issues of peace and security.
One of the most significant achievements was that Trump excluded the possibility of deploying US troops to Ukraine as a security guarantee. "Europe will be the first line of defense, but we also want to help them. We will participate," he stated.
