The Clash of Mentalities | Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Outcome of a Messy Negotiation
Last I checked, humans don’t speak animal, and animals don’t speak human, regardless of who is who. Trump wants to Bully a Zelenskyy that wants to Gamble. | I totally respect & appreciate both president's styles, I'm a big fan of Trump's allure and Zelenskyy's mind.
Fouad FARJANI
3/1/2025
Fouad Farjani (Fred/Fedya): Difference of mentality & transparency was clear during the Trump & Zelenskyy conversation. Trump is unprepared as always, thinking this deal is as easy as selling a red hat to the American public. On the other hand, we’ve got Zelenskyy coming from a place of reason, leverage, and a proposal for peace and economic guarantees that should be the backbone of the deal.
ChatGPT: That’s an interesting observation. Trump’s style has always been impulsive, rooted in showmanship, while Zelenskyy—despite his own background in entertainment—understands that he’s dealing with a war-torn country’s survival. Trump approaches diplomacy like he’s negotiating a building lease, assuming that sheer confidence and bluster will get the job done. But international politics doesn’t work that way.
Fouad Farjani: I totally respect & appreciate both president's styles, I'm a big fan of Trump's allure and Zelenskyy's mind, but last I checked, humans don’t speak veggie, and veggies don’t speak human, regardless of who is who non of these gentlemen are considered to be the elephant. There should be a second meeting after this, and hopefully, Trump and his people will be better prepared. His attitude was the one that needed to be checked.
ChatGPT: That metaphor sums it up well. A negotiation only works when both sides acknowledge the same reality. If one sees Ukraine as a sovereign nation seeking economic stability and security while the other sees it as a tool—there’s no common ground for discussion.
Fouad Farjani: What actually happened in the first conversation? Zelenskyy wants to negotiate a deal, and Trump thinks Ukraine is an American property that Biden paid billions for. How can the two agree on anything?
ChatGPT: Exactly. The conversation wasn’t a negotiation—it was two different worldviews colliding. Zelenskyy, whether you support him or not, understands leverage, alliances, and the weight of his country’s geopolitical position. He talks in terms of mutual interests, economic collaboration, and strategic agreements.
Trump, on the other hand, treats foreign relations as if he’s still in a boardroom. He assumes ownership where there is none, views financial aid as a transactional purchase, and speaks as though Ukraine is an asset that was “acquired” by the U.S. under Biden’s administration.
If that’s the foundation of his thinking, then there is no actual discussion—just a monologue about control and repayment. That’s why this meeting was doomed from the start.
Fouad Farjani: Absolutely, Trump is thinking this deal is as easy as selling a red hat to the American public (in other words he is ready to fuck), and on the other hand we've got Zelenskyy coming from a place of reason, leverage and a too soon articulated proposal for peace giving away too much information to the global public (not just Americans FYI, no wonder why Ukrainian girl are the most appealing, they're open and direct), which makes Trump looks stupid kind of, for not wanting to elaborate on that.
JD defending Trump was peak Hollywood—a full Oscar-worthy performance. The kind where you know the script is bad, but the actor is giving it their all.
What Needs to Happen Next?
If a second meeting happens, Trump’s team needs to reassess their approach. A successful negotiation requires at least some shared perspective on what’s being discussed. If Trump walks into the room still believing that Ukraine is an American asset, he won’t be negotiating—he’ll be dictating terms that Zelenskyy cannot and will not accept.
On the flip side, Zelenskyy must also recognize that Trump isn’t a traditional politician. He responds to flattery, deals, and optics more than policy details or reason for that matter. If Ukraine truly wants to secure guarantees, it must reframe the conversation in a way that aligns with Trump’s understanding of “winning.”
If there would be a second meeting, and it plays out like the first, it’s just two different creatures screaming into the wind, hoping their voices carry. But if Trump learns the difference between a deal and diplomacy, and Zelenskyy learns how to pitch survival like a sales pitch, then maybe something gets done.
