The cameras were on, and that alone changed the game. Would the result have been different if they were off? It’s impossible to play to your constituents and also play the power game. On the other hand, if this was a deliberate ambush, we’ll know soon enough. Just watch who gets what.
But here’s what’s fascinating—normally, we don’t get to see any of this. High-level geopolitical meetings happen behind closed doors, far from the public eye. But should we see them? Does transparency help, or does it force leaders into performative politics rather than real strategy?
Friday’s high-stakes meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and JD Vance wasn’t about diplomacy—it was about survival. The result? Nobody got what they wanted, which means they all misplayed. Power isn’t about who speaks the loudest; it’s about who walks away with the win.
Zelensky should have studied the 48 Laws of Power, particularly Law 1: Never Outshine the Master. He walked into a negotiation acting like an equal, forgetting that you don’t strong-arm the people writing your checks. His best move? Law 22: Transform Weakness into Strength. A little humility could have secured what Ukraine desperately needs, but instead, he postured for the cameras and walked away with nothing.
Trump held his ground—reaffirming his stance rather than caving for optics. But even he missed opportunities, reinforcing the truth: Half of power comes from what you don’t do. JD Vance, too, had a chance to play a bigger role, but he seemed caught between inexperience and sticking to MAGA principles.
Nietzsche once said, "The value of a thing sometimes lies not in what one attains with it, but in what one pays for it." Zelensky paid in political capital, Trump reinforced his stance, and Vance walked the fine line between diplomacy and disruption. The meeting proved one thing: the world doesn’t care about feelings—it cares about results. And this time, nobody secured a win.
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