If you don't want disaster, have short press conferences. But President Trump wanted it to run on – why? Power politics: politicians feel the heat – they don't see the light.
Great resume, Steve. Unfortunately, Zelenstkyy hasn't yet fully overcome his fear of failure (or not securing what he believes is the right deal) when dealing with Trump. This isn’t a criticism—it's simply where he stands at the moment. He’s still relatively young, learning the ropes of politics "on the job" as a wartime leader, which is obviously a very challenging position to be in. Once he’s able to let go of that fear (which is difficult for anyone, even in everyday situations), and once he prepares a little 'mise en place,' as you mentioned, before these meetings, the outcomes will be different, and he won't make fear based quips at his political 'aggressors'. He walked into a challenging situation unprepared. One additional point I'd add to your commentary is that, in the future, he might consider speaking in his native language with a translator. This approach can slow the proceedings when needed and gives him more time to think about his response while the translation occurs.
Great resume, Steve. Unfortunately, Zelenstkyy hasn't yet fully overcome his fear of failure (or not securing what he believes is the right deal) when dealing with Trump. This isn’t a criticism—it's simply where he stands at the moment. He’s still relatively young, learning the ropes of politics "on the job" as a wartime leader, which is obviously a very challenging position to be in. Once he’s able to let go of that fear (which is difficult for anyone, even in everyday situations), and once he prepares a little 'mise en place,' as you mentioned, before these meetings, the outcomes will be different, and he won't make fear based quips at his political 'aggressors'. He walked into a challenging situation unprepared. One additional point I'd add to your commentary is that, in the future, he might consider speaking in his native language with a translator. This approach can slow the proceedings when needed and gives him more time to think about his response while the translation occurs.
Thanks Stephen. Yes, a translator would be a useful device at least.