Pants, Bellies, and Foreign Policy: The New Face of Ukrainian Diplomacy
фото: Reuters
Source: Author’s Facebook page
Well, why do we need this? Many people want simple solutions and a bright show without considering the consequences. But diplomacy is not about spectacle—it is about careful words, long-term strategy, and understanding the price of every statement.
When the ambassador of Ukraine to Oman, in violation not only of protocols but also of respect for certain traditions of the host country, comes to the embassy of Saudi Arabia in tight pants and with his hair down for a religious event, Iftar (a joint meal and prayer among Muslims during Ramadan), this is not a bar bell. This is a shame.
No one is forcing you to wear a hijab, but a certain amount of restraint out of respect for your hosts is definitely required. It’s fine if you don’t ask for champagne before dinner.
The ambassador’s behavior is a measure of a country’s adequacy. I’m afraid the Saudis will remember this visit for a long time.
And when the person responsible for all Ukrainian diplomacy spouts dangerous nonsense, it becomes not just a problem, but a danger. Jokes about Orban’s belly were overshadowed by Zelensky’s sketch about giving the Ukrainian Armed Forces the address of the person blocking 90 billion euros for Ukraine.
Orbán is certainly unfriendly toward us. However, the president is not a stand-up comedian or a blogger. Every phrase he utters will be used by Orbán’s team in the election campaign, which is now at its peak.
Soon, I will explain how Putin, Orbán, and Ukrainian businessmen close to the president’s office profit from Russian oil flowing through the Druzhba pipeline across Ukraine to the Hungarian company MOL.
And it is time to put an end to this kind of diplomacy. The image of invincibility can easily be overshadowed by an image of inadequacy
As a reminder, the editor-in-chief of the publication “European Truth,” Serhiy Sydorenko, criticized Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. During the briefing, the president expressed hope that “one person in the European Union” would not block a billion-dollar loan for Ukraine; the Ukrainian military would be given her address.
Sydorenko is convinced that such actions will complicate the normalization of relations with Hungary, even if Orbán loses the elections. “Bravo. What else can you say? I personally have no idea what one must be thinking to deliver such a stand-up. But it is a precise hit that perfectly serves the rhetoric Orbán needs to mobilize his voters, the journalist believes.
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