In normal times, we the public are left to wonder what presidents and their envoys say to one another behind closed doors, when they’re negotiating deals on which our future safety and prosperity depend – for understandable reasons, this kind of statecraft is kept as secret as it is possible to be.Â
Witkoff, in turn, gave Ushakov extensive advice on how he should make sure to flatter and praise Trump over the deal, and how he could leverage that flattery – and Trump’s ensuing good mood – to try to net a favourable deal for peace between Russia and Ukraine.
“Just reiterate that you congratulate the President on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff said, per Bloomberg’s translation of the call. “So I would say that. I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.”
The transcript makes for extremely difficult reading. At a surface level, it looks almost like treason – it seems as if a top aide for the US government is helping one of America’s most prominent adversaries, and being chummy to the point of oleaginousness as he does so.
The reality of negotiation is more complex. “Good cop, bad cop” – the tactic used by police to try to make suspects confess – is one of the best-known and oldest negotiating strategies in the book, and few would suggest the good cop is being disloyal when he’s nice to the suspect. In more normal times, when people had confidence in the ability and loyalty of those at the top of US government, it might be possible to shrug off Witkoff’s tactics. If it gets results for America, then maybe it’s fine.
Flannel one another? At least they’re staying warm.
xD
Let’s assume that Trump is not a puppet, can someone steelman to me why Trump / the US is bowing down to Russia, without seemingly putting up any fight on this issue?
I do understand that Trump wants a “deal”, no mater what, so the he can parade himself as the guy who ended the war. Could it really be that simple? That he’s throwing Ukraine under the bus for some short fame and glory?
My other suspicious is that he wants this thing to be over ASAP, so that any conflict with Venezuela will be the main priority for US.
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In normal times, we the public are left to wonder what presidents and their envoys say to one another behind closed doors, when they’re negotiating deals on which our future safety and prosperity depend – for understandable reasons, this kind of statecraft is kept as secret as it is possible to be.Â
But, of course, we are not living in normal times. Our latest reminder of that is the publication by Bloomberg of the full telephone transcript between [Donald Trump](https://inews.co.uk/topic/donald-trump?ico=in-line_link)’s special envoy for peace, his billionaire pal [Steve Witkoff](https://inews.co.uk/topic/steve-witkoff?srsltid=AfmBOorLJX5y94Yujwilj0Szbt7Cl-6ddgpq-XhbR8ogsAWdsfR4ZQeu&ico=in-line_link), and [Vladimir Putin](https://inews.co.uk/topic/vladimir-putin?ico=in-line_link)’s top aide on foreign policy, Yuri Ushakov.Â
If nothing else, it’s fascinating to see how much these ultra-rich and ultra-powerful men flannel one another even in private. As the call – which took place on 14 October, shortly after Israel and Hamas agreed a [US-brokered ceasefire](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/trump-says-israel-and-hamas-have-signed-off-on-first-phase-of-gaza-deal-3967190?srsltid=AfmBOoqx3Y3QEx4dQCDmyXCiPaOVxwsdbk9-FX8TsOZLYZqrsLAsWZy-&ico=in-line_link) – opened, Ushakov fell over himself to praise Witkoff for his role in that deal.
Witkoff, in turn, gave Ushakov extensive advice on how he should make sure to flatter and praise Trump over the deal, and how he could leverage that flattery – and Trump’s ensuing good mood – to try to net a favourable deal for peace between Russia and Ukraine.
“Just reiterate that you congratulate the President on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff said, per Bloomberg’s translation of the call. “So I would say that. I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.”
As the call continues, Witkoff suggests the two men work together on a 20-point peace proposal “just like we did in Gaza”, which could become a “Trump plan”. Just weeks later, the [US and Russia supposedly agreed a 28-point plan for peace](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/embarrassing-row-reveals-russia-directing-us-ukraine-4060924?ico=in-line_link) that in reality read almost [word-for-word like a list of Russian demands](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/surrender-territory-and-cut-military-drafted-ukraine-plan-proposes-4053872?ico=in-line_link), with virtually no concessions towards Ukraine and its red lines.Â
The transcript makes for extremely difficult reading. At a surface level, it looks almost like treason – it seems as if a top aide for the US government is helping one of America’s most prominent adversaries, and being chummy to the point of oleaginousness as he does so.
The reality of negotiation is more complex. “Good cop, bad cop” – the tactic used by police to try to make suspects confess – is one of the best-known and oldest negotiating strategies in the book, and few would suggest the good cop is being disloyal when he’s nice to the suspect. In more normal times, when people had confidence in the ability and loyalty of those at the top of US government, it might be possible to shrug off Witkoff’s tactics. If it gets results for America, then maybe it’s fine.
Flannel one another? At least they’re staying warm.
xD
Let’s assume that Trump is not a puppet, can someone steelman to me why Trump / the US is bowing down to Russia, without seemingly putting up any fight on this issue?
I do understand that Trump wants a “deal”, no mater what, so the he can parade himself as the guy who ended the war. Could it really be that simple? That he’s throwing Ukraine under the bus for some short fame and glory?
My other suspicious is that he wants this thing to be over ASAP, so that any conflict with Venezuela will be the main priority for US.
Making?
He already was in 2015.
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