(Dr Pentapati Pullarao)
Since February 28, 2025, the roll has been trans fixed by the comedy and shouting match that took place in the White House between President Donald trump and Ukraine president Zelensky. What should have been the surrender of Ukraine became a comedy, whereby the prestige and aimed of Trump took a beating. The un-expected always happens. It is a good warning to all pollical rulers that never ensure of anything.
Ukraine President Zelensky is a world-famous figure. Zelensky was a famous professional comedian and became President of Ukraine in 2019. The world knows that Ukraine was once part of Russia, and a Russia-Ukraine war started in February 2022. Russia started the war and thought it will be over in 15 days. Now it has been going on for 3 years and Russia has not won the war.
Ever since Donald Trump was elected as US President for the second time on November 5, 2024, the world showered praises on him and also, he dominated world news. Even before Trump officially became President on January 20, 2025, he acted as if he was already the president, and the world deferred to him.
As soon as Trump was sworn as President on January 20, 2025, top world leaders started meeting him. Narendra Modi met him on February 13, 2025.
The setting in which Donald Trump would meet world leaders is the same. President Trump would sit with the visiting foreign leader and address the media together. The foreign leader would praise Donald Trump and Trump would return some praise. But Trump would then criticize the visiting leader, saying that USA is being exploited by his country. It would be embarrassing for the visiting leader. But the visiting leader just smiled and kept quiet.
Narendra Modi had dealt with Donald Trump before and knew how to handle him. So, Modi did not suffer embarrassment.
Trump and Ukraine War :
Even before Trump’s election, he said he would end the Ukraine-Russia war immediately. Trump felt that as USA was the biggest donor to Ukraine, he can command Ukraine to stop fighting and accept ‘peace terms ‘which he would decide. Trump openly said that Ukraine was wrong to fight Russia and that whatever land Russia had occupied in the war, can be kept with Russia.
Meeting at White House: The great meeting of February 28, 2025, at the White House between Trump and Zelensky was to end in a great victory for Trump and the settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war. Literally, Zelensky was to surrender there. But just the opposite happened and everything that could go wrong went wrong.
Murphy’s Law happened at the Trump-Zelensky meeting on February 28, 2025. In 1948, a noted space engineer named Murphy in USA famously said “Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong “. Since then, it is called “Murphy’s law”. The February 28, 2025, meeting at the White House was a total disaster for President Trump. The meeting became a shouting match and arguments between Donald Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky “. The entire cabinet of Trump was present in that room. It has damaged Trump’s prestige. Trump may have been right. But the way events un-folded and the way Ukraine President Zelensky reacted, created a very bad, enduring image for Trump, which might have deep consequences:
- Trump’s image was damaged, as he was outplayed and outshouted at the hate house the foreign Eldar fo a small country Ukraine. It had never happened before and Trump should have careful not to expect the “un-expected ‘, because only the “un-expected happens “
- Trump was sure that Zelensky would merely agree to whatever eh said and that day would be great victory for Trump, who would emerge as a “great peacemaker ‘, whose steeled the terrible Russia-Ukraine “war. Instead, trump was unable to stop the war.
- Trump also thought that once he threw our Ukraine’s Zelensky, European and other countries would shun Zelensky. Instead, Europe embraced Zelensky and promised to support him and said that they would talk to Americans to try for a new peace deal.
- Most foreign leaders were afraid of Donald trump. But the way Zelensky refused to agree to the USA, as incased Zelensky’s prestige and reduced trumps’, prestige.
Lessosn for trump:
- Trump should not have assumed that every outcome will be as what he wants. After the February 28, 2025, fiasco, trump has lost his prestige and his enemies refloating around the world. Canada, Mexico and China are jubilant.
- In the USA also, Trump’s prestige has gone down. While trump has been ordaining only for a few weeks, events have been too fast and the Ukraine’s setback ice creating doubting the USA. It is possible that even in the republican party of Trump, there will be refusal to support Russia.
Will trump restore his prestige?
Over time, everything will be forgotten. Bad defeats can be handheld by good public relations and damage-control. The problem for Trump is that the Ukraine-Russia war will not go away or according to trump’s plan.
If the Ukraine-Russia ward egos note and properly, then trump will lose prestige.
If Europe continues to support Ukraine, even without the USA, then again, it will be a defeat for Trump.
Trump should read his history books. A defeat can be turned into a victory. Trump can show magnanimity to Ukraine and say that he is ready to look at a new Peace Deal. Trump can then convince Russia to come down from their big demands.
If trump can swallow his wounded ego, diplomacy can bring him a great victory. Trump only has to agree with Europe to find new path to peace.
But the biggest question is whether Trump will forget the wound so that Zelensky gave him on February 28, 2025?
Of course, for India, what happened on February 28, 2025, is a big help. Trump now has other worries, and his attention will be less focused on India. Trump also will be careful not to alienate India, which leaders have praised him.
Ukraine Zelensky’s prestige has gone up immensely. But Zelensky is careful to come own and started praising trump and the USA. If Zelensky agrees to listen to European leaders and agrees toa peace –deal, then the war will end.
In the present situation, Donald trump needs peace in Ukraine. Zelensky also needs peace in Ukraine, as he cannot continue the war longer. Most of all, Russia needs peace the most. Russia thought the war will end in 2 weeks and is now facing near-defeat.
Everyone needs peace to save their careers. The February 28, 2025, fiasco at the white house has made it necessary for trump to adopt a moderate stance and try for peace.
But of course, the meeting a very funny. It was funny since the entire world saw a “shouting match ‘at the White house, much like domestic squabble, which spills out on the streets and neighbors love watching other peoples’ fights.
(Author is a Political and Economic Analyst based in New Delhi)
