Getting to Yes – Trump & Zelensky

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, met with Pres. Trump at the White House to ask for more help combatting Russia’s invasion. The meeting blew up, and Zelensky left without signing an agreement granting the US rights to real earth minerals in exchange for future support.

What a mess! The US stopped arms shipments to Ukraine, and Russia escalated its bombardment of Ukraine. Pres. Trump says he will not let Europe continue to freeload on American defense spending. His attacks on Ukraine and Pres. Zelinsky are harsher than his comments on Russia and President Putin.

The day before Pres. Zelinsky met with Pres. Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Mr. Trump in an Oval Office meeting with the press. Mr. Starmer pulled an envelope from his pocket and read an invitation from King Charles III for a historic state visit to Britian to meet with the King and his government. “Wow!” was Trump’s response to an invitation never given to a second-term US president. The meeting ended with smiles, handshakes, and Pres. Trump’s promise of a trade deal.

Prime Minister Starmer got the “yes” he wanted on a trade deal. Why did a similar meeting with Pres. Zelinsky blow up?

I listened to the full tape of the Trump/Zelinsky meeting. Future classes on negotiations will see the video as an example of how not to “Get to Yes.” Emotions are high, and biased media coverage makes understanding what happened in the Oval Office difficult without listening to the video. At the simplest level, PM Starmer “gave before asking.” Pres. Zelinsky “asked without giving.”

I admire the courage of Ukrainians defending their country against Russian attack, and I fear for Ukraine at this moment. I want you to know my frame of mind while I ask you to learn from what happened and why Pres. Zelinsky did not Get to Yes.

Early in the meeting, Pres. Trump gave numerous gifts to Pres. Zelinsky, including acknowledging the bravery and sacrifices of the Ukrainian people. Trump asked for the rare earth agreement, and he clearly offered future American support of Ukraine with the agreement in place. The agreement would be worthless to the US unless Ukraine is free.

Pres. Zelinsky asked how he can trust an agreement when the US, Russia, and Europe disregarded earlier agreements. It is a good question, but that moment, in front of TV cameras, was not the time to ask it. Vice President Vance challenged Pres. Zelinsky: “Have you said thank you once?” The exchange went downhill quickly, with accusations and defensive responses.

Yes, VP Vance should not have played tough guy. Pres. Trump should have cut off the exchanges earlier by saying, “We can talk about these issues privately” rather than commenting on what good TV it made.

Pres. Zelinsky met with Pres. Trump to ask for support – to Get to Yes. Pres. Zelinsky is in a weak position because both Europe and the US have refused to support Ukraine at a level required to win its war with Russia. Pres. Zelinsky should have gone into the meeting with Pres. Trump and offered gifts before asking for American support. Acknowledging and thanking America for its support of Ukraine and congratulating Pres. Trump for his election would have been valuable gifts and cost nothing to give.

Benjamin Franklin was America’s first ambassador to France during the early years of the American Revolution against Britian. Franklin ingratiated himself with the French King and his court working gradually to win the King over to supporting America and its fight for independence.

In 1778, John Adams went to France to help Franklin advocate for French support. Franklin and Adams were quickly in conflict because Franklin was slowly building relationships by “giving” to the King and the court and making “requests.” Adams demanded French support and refused to acknowledge America’s indebtedness to France. Franklin said that the King would help America as a “gift” while Adams demanded that France join the fight against Briain as the logical use of its power.

Franklin eventually persuaded the King to support America and turn the military tide against Britian. John Adams became the US ambassador to Britian and then the second US president after George Washington.

Pres. Zelinsky left the Oval Office and flew to Europe where he met with European leaders. Following that meeting, he said Ukraine was ready to sign the rare earth agreement and go to the peace table. He described his meeting with the President as “regrettable.”

What happened in the Oval Office is an objective lesson in Getting to Yes. Give before Asking.

This is a scary time. My prayers are with the Ukrainian people.

A Ukrainian Church

We usually think of the Catskills in upstate New York with its resorts and summer camps as a New York City vacation destination. Most comedians practice their routines in the Catskills.

I spent several days exploring the Catskills. I did not go to a comedy show, but I roamed the valleys, streams, and rolling hills looking for Ichabod Crane. I found this amazing Ukrainian Church.