THE recent meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and United States President Donald Trump ignited a global debate. The exchange of informal language and unexpected remarks disr-egarded diplomatic etiquette, raising concerns about its impact on international relations.

Trump’s personality needs no introd-uction. He is an unconventional, outspoken leader who engages with the world strictly on his own terms. His political style has always been marked by exaggeration and unpredictability.

On the other hand, Zelensky, who was originally a comedian before entering politics, failed to establish a strong presence in front of Trump during the meeting.

Trump’s statements and actions are expected to have long-term consequences not only for the US, but for global politics as well. However, Ukraine’s political strategy has historically been simplistic, and, to some extent, lacking in foresight.

In the past, Ukraine was a wealthy country with nuclear capabilities, but through diplomatic manoeuvring, it was stripped of its nuclear arsenal.

Now, it finds itself at the mercy of global powers. The US, which once stood firmly in support of Ukraine, has begun to withdraw its backing, while Europe lacks the strength to directly confront Russia. In this context, Ukraine appears diplo-matically weak and politically directionless.

This meeting was an unusual diplomatic occurrence, as it took place without any prior agreements, formal negotiations or preparatory discussions. The most striking aspect of the meeting was that Trump’s rhetoric seemed closer to that of a Russian leader than that of a neutral mediator. This unexpected and uncon- ventional diplomatic episode has left the world at large with a series of rather pressing questions.

Most importantly, one wonders if the world of global diplomacy has entered a new era of informality and unpredictability?

Ali Raza Soomro
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2025