By Philip Yeung
Under Trump, diplomacy is dead
This is a dark day for diplomacy and a darker day for decency ---a "before-and-after" moment when the whole world watched, open-mouthed, the president of the United States, publicly humiliating a leader of a sovereign nation. All were shell-shocked. None could believe their eyes and ears. Trump was in full thuggish mode, stage-managing the loudest and ugliest shouting match in the Oval Office, aided and abetted by his bootlicking Vice President JD Vance. The two were dancing a duet in a naked display of backyard bullying.
Some call this an ambush. Trump calculated that after this public falling out, America could justify stopping the delivery of aid to Ukraine. To add to the insult, a lower-level US official was heard dressing down Zelensky for under-dressing for the Oval Office meeting, questioning why he couldn't have come with a tie and suit. Zelensky deadpanned: "I will come in a suit when the war is ended." There is no greater national or international disgrace than when Trump manhandled a foreign leader, jabbing his fingers and lecturing the Ukrainian president for being insufficiently grateful and respectful. The poor man was outshouted every time he opened his mouth to defend his country. There was no pretense of diplomatic niceties. Zelensky was slapped down as a pathetic favor-seeker at the mercy of a mafia debt collector. This is Trump unleashed, a convicted criminal stalking the halls of diplomacy, trying to subjugate a down-but-not-out country.
The nasty encounter was an unmitigated disaster, with the planned press conference and private dinner abruptly canceled. The Ukrainian leader was literally shown the door. He was told to come back only when he was ready for peace. Zelensky was unbowed, refusing to play along with the script Trump had prepared. He declared that his country owes the US no debts, vowing that he won't even pay US$10 to the Americans, much less the 500 billion dollars Trump has demanded. Pointedly, he has refused to sign the deal giving the US access to its rich deposits of rare earth and minerals.
Trump has upended diplomacy, with all its normal rules out the window. He has no use for protocol. He uses the language of street thugs or a quarrelsome village woman, trying to silence his invited guest. It is a brutal display of arm-twisting and intimidation that is more like a mafia boss talking down to his disobedient underling. Vance asked Zelensky: 'Have you said "thank-you" once?' Zelensky retorted: 'Have you visited Ukraine once?' From there, it was downhill to the bitter end.
Afterward, Trump called this nasty public spat great television, gratified that once again he had successfully hijacked the world's attention. But American respectability and morality have disappeared into the ether. All we hear is Trump's huffing and puffing.
Trump's rough treatment of Zelensky was no doubt a signal to the Ukrainians to get rid of their president. But the move has likely backfired. European leaders have quickly rallied around the underdog, with his people vowing to stand united. The Ukrainian ambassador to the US, witnessing the horrible, fiery exchanges, was in tears. Zelensky might have come hat-in-hand to the White House, but he did not deserve the jaw-dropping humiliation that will go down in history as America's lowest point as a world leader.
Zelensky left empty-handed, but so did Trump. He called Trump's bluff, leaving him nothing to show for his grandstanding and blustering. His boast of ending the Ukraine war within 24 hours proved empty when Zelensky refused to capitulate. Trump, the former reality show host, wanted to tell Zelensky: "You are fired!" but his bombastic hope of winning the Nobel Peace Prize has crash-landed. Trump's game requires someone to play sucker. But Zelensky wouldn't play ball. He knew before coming to America that under Trump, there would be no continued flow of US aid and ammunition. Nevertheless, it came with an unexpected silver lining: this toe-curling spectacle has intensified EU sympathy and amplified support for his war-torn country.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Philip Yeung:
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