Ukrainian analyst reveals why Zelenskyy-Trump meeting was success
Photo: President Zelenskyy and President Trump meeting in The Hague (Office of the President of Ukraine)
The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his American counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague went well. This success was made possible because Zelenskyy's team found a kind of recipe for success in organizing a meeting between the two leaders, said political analyst Oleh Saakian in a comment to RBC-Ukraine's YouTube channel.
Saakian noted that the issue of military aid to Ukraine was likely discussed between the two leaders. Overall, he described the meeting as positive.
"We can see there is no scandalous information. On the contrary, Trump spoke very favorably, and Zelenskyy also spoke very favorably," he emphasized.
The recipe for a successful meeting with Trump
According to Saakian, a successful meeting with Trump was achieved thanks to several key factors.
He said that the agenda was well-prepared and that, finally, the Ukrainian side approached the meeting preparation the right way.
"It was already clear back in Rome that groundwork was necessary, specifically at the level of Yermak and Rubio (head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - ed.). Both sides had to align their positions, eliminate any irritants, choose the right words and phrasing," he explained.
Saakian recalled that before meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy publicly stated that NATO would not accept Ukraine at this stage. This acknowledgment helped ease some tensions and was likely requested by NATO leadership. It also made things easier for Rubio, who was preparing the meeting from the American side.
"So I believe the work was done well, and that's the first part of this success. It needs to be scaled up in the future," the political analyst said.
The second key point, according to Saakian, was that the meeting took place behind closed doors, without so-called support teams present. This was a major win for Ukraine, given how Trump tends to behave in different settings.
"Because Trump with a support group and Trump in front of cameras is one person. Trump behind closed doors, one-on-one, is a completely different person. And this has already shown itself several times," he explained.
The third factor: Ukraine refrained from making demands or issuing ultimatums to Trump. Instead, they offered solutions during the meeting. A good sign is that none of those proposals were rejected.
Trump is uncertainty, and that’s a problem
Saakian notes that Trump currently represents "uncertainty we depend on." For Ukraine, this is a bad scenario, possibly the worst one.
"The longer this uncertainty lingers, the harder it becomes for us. Even if the answer were a clear no, it would still be helpful. A no could be used in our engagement with US partners. But because Trump doesn’t say no, and they’re not ready for escalation either, we’re stuck in a limbo that ties our hands," the political analyst explained.
The Middle East saved Trump
According to Saakian, Trump is currently unlikely to openly support Ukraine’s request for weapons. The escalation in the Middle East has effectively bought the US president a few weeks, or even a month, during which he can remain silent and stall.
"If the 12-day escalation in the Middle East hadn’t happened, Congress and the Senate would already be pushing to toughen policy toward Russia and increase support for Ukraine. And something of these two things, at least one of them, Trump would have to do," he said.
But now, events in the Middle East have overshadowed everything else. The situation unfolded rapidly and shocked the world. Trump is portraying it as a personal victory, claiming the US defeated Iran and dismantled its nuclear program. This has earned him a new wave of political capital and bought him more time.
Everything in... Putin’s hands?
Saakian emphasized that until the attention of Europe and the United States shifts back from the Middle East to Ukraine, there’s little hope for swift decisions. However, there is an interesting point: the current situation largely depends on what Russian leader Vladimir Putin decides to do next.
"If Putin truly acts as a product of Russian culture - and he is, indeed, a product of that culture - then he will behave just as Russians always do in such situations. It’s the classic 'I don’t want to be a noblewoman, I want to rule the seas' mindset. The tale of the golden fish is all about the insatiable greed of Russians, the appetite that grows with each bite. Their culture, politics, and geopolitics lack a sense of limits. It’s never enough for them," the analyst explained.
Even now, the Russian leader is demanding things Trump simply cannot give him, no matter how much he might want to.
"And it’s exactly this - Putin’s excessive demands and ambitions - that will ultimately undermine all of Russia’s efforts. This is likely to become the reason behind tougher sanctions against Russia and increased military support for Ukraine. It’s all in Putin’s hands, strange as that may sound," Saakian concluded.
Zelenskyy and Trump's meeting
Trump and Zelenskyy met on June 25 on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague. Trump said that Zelenskyy was "very nice" during their meeting. Before that, Zelenskyy said that his meeting with Trump was meaningful. According to him, during the conversation, they "covered all truly important issues."
More importantly, Trump made a number of statements following the meeting. For example, he did not rule out providing Ukraine with additional missiles for the Patriot air defense system. Trump also confirmed that the United States is interested in cooperating with Ukraine in the field of rare earth metals, which is part of the signed minerals deal.
Interestingly, Trump has finally admitted that he cannot stop the war in Ukraine right now. The US President called his promise to do so in 24 hours a sarcasm. However, he still believes that Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine.
