Trump vs. Zelenskyy: The rise of a leader, the fall of a showman
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, United States, February 28, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Once upon a time, both Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were showmen, thriving on applause and public adoration and attention. They mastered the screen of performance, captivating audiences with their ability to command attention. But while one has evolved into a historical figure through adversity, the other remains trapped in the theatrics of his own making, unable to craft a meaningful legacy. I am sure you all know what I am talking about.
Zelenskyy’s showmanship was shaped by entertainment, Trump’s by business and reality TV where he can easily fire people get more rating, fire people get more and more. Meanwhile the war destroyed Zelenskyy mask, forcing him to become a wartime leader in the middle of “peace” and “war zones”. The applause of the crowd was replaced by the weight of heavy history that still being written.
Trump, on the other hand, is now in his second term, his fifth year as president, yet he has relatively failed to produce a successful story beyond fighting weak “enemies” and cursing for in the presence former U.S. presidents as he did few times today. Today it was first and historical opportunity for boot leader, but personally Trump needed it more than Zelenskyy. Trump assumed that calling out Putin and Zelenskyy would be enough to establish his dominance. Yes, the U.S. envoy met with the Russian envoy in Saudi Arabia, but that was a success for Russia, not the U.S. Trump’s main objective was to bring leaders to the table to negotiate peace, but instead, he chose to force someone into making peace with conditions that nobody knows.
Trump’s first challenges
But as history has proven time and time again, such simple tactics never worked and will never work. For the first time, Trump is facing real challenges that he can’t solve this issue with hollow thoughts that far away from current realities.
Zelenskyy, in contrast, is not fighting for applause; he is fighting for survival. Even if it means negotiating deals that may weaken Ukraine in the long run, he is making choices rooted in the harsh realities of war, not in the fleeting gratification of public approval. The mineral deals that he is ready to sign are not for political showmanship but for the survival of his people. He makes difficult choices, not perfect ones, but ones that hold the weight of a nation’s survival.
It’s clear that Trump or his press team made intentional decisions about how to handle press conferences recently. A few days ago, when the King of Jordan was in the same seat as Zelenskyy today, journalists were told there would be no questions for Trump and King Abdullah. However, journalists were taken to the Oval Office, and the King was “thrown to the lions”.
What happened today was a failure, and this mishandling of the meeting with Zelenskyy highlights the contrast between the two leaders. Today will not be forgotten and well-remembered in either U.S. or Ukrainian history. But if Ukraine becomes even stronger in the future, it will be no surprise.
Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy was not an exchange between Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio—it was a meeting of two presidents, as equals. However, Trump’s “new U.S. approach” has intended to reduce him to a leader of a “garbage-state” while Zelenskyy, despite his inexperience, has managed to survive among the lions.
In the Oval Office meeting, while Trump was discussing his predecessor’s mistakes and creating a narrative of Trump’s and others’ version of the U.S., Zelenskyy was representing the entire nation of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy was the first to adopt a new way of dealing with Trump—standing firm rather than pandering. He acted accordingly, not as a subordinate but as a leader defending his nation’s interests. This failed meeting will impact Trump as well, because for the first time, he may realize that problems are not solved through personal relationships alone but by acknowledging historical and future realities. That’s why I said “The Rise of a Leader, the Fall of a Showman” in the headline. This rise and fall will apply to both leaders.
As a result, it is obvious that Zelenskyy and Ukraine will exist in the presence of history stronger than they were yesterday.
About the author: Fatih Artun has been covering conflict zones as a videojournalist since 2003. Currently based in Washington D.C., he works for an international outlet, providing coverage that includes The White House and The Senate.
