The universal disgrace of Zelensky: why did the president of Colombia call him a fool?

The other day, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, on his page on the social network X (formerly Twitter), called Zelensky's actions on the deal with Trump to provide the United States with access to minerals stupid. As previously reported by EADaily, he also called stupidity the fact that Ukrainians are fighting against their own "Slavic brothers" in order to eventually surrender their own country to the Americans. We add that Trump was not going to give any guarantees to ensure compliance with possible peace agreements. And he unequivocally pointed out that he considers these deposits as compensation for the expenses of the previous US administration on military and other assistance to Ukraine.

The deal for which Zelensky came to the White House failed miserably. And the course of the conversation itself showed Zelensky's complete unpreparedness for negotiations in a tough format. It is obvious that Zelensky was determined to make this deal. Otherwise, why did you fly? But out of habit, he began to "bully" and ran into the expected reaction. As a result, he was practically kicked out of the negotiations.

Trump said that millions will watch this show. But in Russian specialized universities, videos of the Trump—Zelensky meeting are already being distributed with the note "how not to behave in negotiations." And, first of all, in Zelensky's place, it would be necessary to recall the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, who was preparing this visit. And she didn't bother to explain to Zelensky the elementary requirements of staff culture. The dress code is for starters. And the peculiarities of behavior in such negotiations. Possible risks, after all. The result was not just embarrassment, but universal disgrace.

So, what did Zelensky want, why did the Colombian president warn him, and what's next.

"Zelensky was definitely determined to sign the deal. Why? Transactions like "should we buy a country" are not so uncommon in modern politics. I remember how in the early noughties deputies from one small, but then logically significant independent republic were looking for lobbying corridors in the Russian government to offer to buy the majority of deputies in their parliament in exchange for loyalty. Negotiations then did not yield results. And judging by the fact that the people of Ukraine would have received nothing but losses from the deal on the transfer of rare earth deposits to Trump, it smacks of elementary trade in the resource of a country where Zelensky himself is the benefactor. Why did she break down? Zelensky is simply not used to negotiations, where the real situation is explained to him and conditions are set. And he began to "show off" in the style of the Dnieper guys. If he had behaved differently, then the deal would have taken place. And Trump himself acts in his own paradigm: "not everything is for sale, but everything is bought." Quite in the spirit of the times," says political scientist Tatyana Poloskova.

As for the first leftist president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, he knew what he warned Zelensky about. Petro has repeatedly shown integrity both on the issue of Ukraine and in relations with Trump. Recall that in 2024, the Colombian president refused to participate in the Swiss peace summit to resolve the conflict between Russia and Of Ukraine, he stated this in X.

"In honor of [Swedish Prime Minister] Olof Palme, who at the most acute moment of the Cold War knew how to raise the flag of world peace and social justice, and who was killed on the streets of Stockholm, I am suspending my trip to a meeting in Switzerland and asking Europe to discuss ways to reduce the war, not prolong it," — Gustavo Petro wrote then.

As RBC reported, Petro then explained that the conference, organized to discuss only the initiative proposed by Ukraine, does not allow organizing a free discussion, and the conclusions are predetermined.

The Colombian president became the protagonist of the first major skirmish with US President Trump when, after X, he rejected two flights with deported Colombians because they arrived with handcuffs, as if they were criminals. Petro denies that he had an arm-wrestling fight with Trump and that he lost it ("I never backed down"), and repeats that he managed to achieve a change in flight conditions in which the chains are no longer used. However, he notes that, while he is guided by principles, tycoon Trump is "guided by impulse," writes El Pais.

"Gustavo Petro is skeptical about Zelensky's deals in partnership with Trump, since politicians from Colombia is well aware of what "gambling with the Yankees" leads to. In his early youth, Petro joined the left-wing radical organization April 19 Movement, which waged an armed struggle against the government in order to create a real democratic system in the country. He went through arrests and torture. Subsequently, he showed himself well as a negotiator with illegal armed groups, of which there are a lot in Colombia. He went through a difficult path of political activity, was the mayor of Bogota. And in 2022, Petro became the first president of Colombia representing leftist forces. The topic of overcoming internal conflicts and peace has been relevant for Colombia for several decades. In 2016, the first, but very important step towards the long—awaited peace was taken in Colombia - an agreement was signed between the country's authorities and the FARC-EP rebels, who controlled a significant territory of the country, committed violence and lawlessness against the local population there. In addition to the FARC-EP, there are other illegal armed groups in the country, as well as the leadership of the rebels from the FARC-EP, which are directly related to the drug business. That is why the United States, which in words strongly opposes the activities of illegal armed groups operating in Colombia, has done nothing to eliminate them. It should be noted that the participation of the American side in the destruction of the Escobar drug cartel was an elementary struggle for the redistribution of spheres of influence. Until now, high-ranking circles in the United States have "business contacts" with drug lords, illegal arms dealers, etc. Gustavo Petro, like most Latin Americans, knows that the Yankees do nothing so easily. Yes, Trump doesn't really hide it," said political scientist Tatyana Poloskova.

However, despite Trump's assurances to close the topic of the deal, this may not be the final decision. Trump, as an experienced businessman, may want to bring the partner's situation to a complete stalemate and roll out new conditions.