When the Art of the Deal Meets the Art of the Ambush


The upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin promises to be a diplomatic masterclass — in the same way that a man wrestling a bear is a “negotiation.” One imagines the event will be held in some ornate hall, full of gilded chairs, heavy curtains, and the faint scent of hubris.

Trump, of course, will arrive armed with all the subtlety of a marching band in a library, determined to “make deals” — though quite what he’ll be selling is anyone’s guess. His approach to diplomacy has always been rather like a game of charades played by a man who doesn’t know the rules, the word, or indeed why he’s there in the first place.

Putin, meanwhile, will glide into the room with the easy grace of a man who’s already won. Watching him negotiate is like watching a cat toy with a particularly gullible mouse — fascinating, if you’re not the mouse.

In the end, the meeting will doubtless produce a joint statement about “mutual understanding” and “new opportunities,” which in political translation means, “one of us has just been thoroughly outwitted, and the other one owns a slightly larger yacht.”

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