The White House Oval Office
The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States in the Oval Office with her head in her hands says it all.
The ambassador’s nonverbal communication (body language) spoke louder than words, but not louder than Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s. He was busy tearing down all the diplomatic work done by many Ukrainian and American officials to end the Russia-Ukraine war since President Trump’s reelection. Although all the verbal and nonverbal communication between Zelenskyy and Trump is very important to be discussed in detail, the following is a distillation of their Oval Office meeting. It is important to understand how the meeting crashed to prevent it from happening again; and these observations equally apply to any dialogue, personal or professional:
The two presidents were not on the same page before the Oval Office meeting.
According press reports and interviews, President Trump and President Zelenskyy met in the Oval Office not on the same diplomatic page about the proposed strategy to end the war in Ukraine. President Trump fully expected President Zelenskyy to sign a U.S. proposed mineral rights deal as part of the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskyy apparently was in the Oval Office prepared to sign the document but with the provision that the U.S. provide (military) ‘security guarantees’ for Ukraine. Later, the Trump representatives insisted they made it clear to Zelenskyy in Munich, Germany, that those guarantees were not part of the strategy to get Russia to the negotiating table. That unresolved issue was foundational to the conflict and was exposed in an ugly, public way. Mutual trust is required to have good-faith negotiations.
Question: Is it possible that one side wasn’t truthful about their intentions for the meeting, and if so, why?
President Zelenskyy displayed a power-projecting communication style.
It’s not clear today who is on thinner ice, President Zelenskyy or the adviser who thought it a good idea for him to conduct a power play at possibly the most critical time in Ukraine’s history, in front of President Trump, inside the White House, and in front of the news cameras? President Zelenskyy became increasingly verbally aggressive in the meeting. He began countering President Trump’s statements, talking over the president, arguing with him, trying to engage reporters’ questions out of turn, and calling the vice president “J.D.” Nonverbally he displayed very aggressive gestures such as shaking his head “No” as President Trump answered a reporter’s question, repeatedly raising his hand near the president’s head and face, leaning forward toward the vice president as he spoke directly to him in a challenging way, and crossing his arms as the president or vice president spoke. How would any rudimentary observer think that would go?
Question: Was Zelenskyy’s verbal and nonverbal behavior his normal demeanor, was he acting on the world stage, or did someone give him disastrous diplomatic counsel for the meeting with malintent?
President Trump displayed his normal power-projecting communication style.
It’s well known that President Trump consistently projects power verbally and nonverbally with other world leaders, both at home and abroad. Interestingly, as Zelenskyy and the failing war in Ukraine sat close by, President Trump was the de facto power broker sitting in the U.S. presidency’s center of power and engaging with a leader who desperately needs his help. Despite this, President Trump was restrained. His eyes often looked downward with his jaw clenched. Zelenskyy, on the other hand, became increasingly aggressive and rude. Possibly Zelenskyy mistook Mr. Trump’s restraint for an opportunity. Of course, Trump made his usual pronouncements about the history of the conflict, and Biden’s (mis)handling of it, which agitated Zelenskyy as seen by his tense facial expressions, eye-rolling, head-wagging, and crossing his arms. Even as Zelenskyy became argumentative with Trump, Trump’s jaw tightened but he intentionally let Zelenskyy continue speaking probably to avoid more drama.
The meeting then took a critical turn when Vice President Vance confronted Zelenskyy on his attitude and ‘disrespect’ to the president. Zelenskyy became more aggressive in questioning the vice president and challenging him. The meeting then spiraled further downward and crashed for all to see as Zelenskyy verbalized a veiled threat to the security of America. President Trump had heard enough and unleashed on Zelenskyy. At the end President Trump made mention of Americans being witnesses to Zelenskyy’s behavior. Except it wasn’t only Americans watching, but Ukrainians, Europeans, and the Russians. Reportedly, President Trump summarily dismissed President Zelenskyy and his team from the White House after the meeting.
Two leaders with power-projecting communication styles in the same room seeking an agreement is a very difficult thing to navigate, unless one of them is in the weaker position and clearly in need of the other’s assistance. Normally the second leader assumes a humbler posture, that for an unknown reason did not happen in this high stakes contact leading to disaster.
Question: Can the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy be restored and negotiations continued, or is there another outcome for the Russian-Ukrainian war that may be more disastrous than the slow-moving car wreck witnessed in the Oval Office?
