Source: Washington Post
by George F Will
“So this is ‘the art of the deal.’ The author of the book with that title is illustrating the subtleties of dealmaking in negotiations about Ukraine. First, flatter the person with whom you are negotiating, calling him a ‘genius,’ ‘savvy’ and ‘very smart.’ Disregard Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1940 warning that ‘no man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it.’ … Second, emphasize that your diplomacy is uninfected by normative judgments about the origins of the conflict. … Third, signal eagerness to end the conflict. You can do this, as Trump did, by vowing to end it ‘before I even take office,’ or ‘on day one,’ or ‘within 24 hours,’ whichever comes first. … Seventh, streamline the negotiations by eliminating contentious topics that require negotiating.” (05/07/25)