The shocking shouting match at the White House between US President Donald Trump and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vividly illustrated what Trump is willing to do when he is upset and trying to please his home base.
He belittled his guest and warned that without the support of the world’s most powerful country, Ukraine would be finished.
US Vice President J.D. Vance rubbed salt into the wound—he was even more toxic in his characterization of Zelensky, portraying him as a leader who was disrespectful and insufficiently grateful for what the US has done for Ukraine over the past three years.
Zelensky, however, was not one to stay silent. His main challenge during the encounter was that he responded in English, which is not his native language, so his remarks lacked the polished sophistication of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Still, he fired back each time Trump and Vance made erroneous comments about his country’s situation.
There are several valuable lessons to be drawn from this White House drama. First, under Trump, the U.S. operates as if America is the world—what America wants, America gets.
His treatment of Zelensky was a disgrace to U.S. diplomacy and its longstanding global leadership. Second, the U.S. is a great but self-centered nation. Trump has made it clear that any country seeking good relations with the U.S. must follow his lead, making his presidency an extraordinary one.
The return of a Trump administration would further dent American credibility on the world stage. For now, Washington still enjoys the advantage of dictating global affairs, thanks to its historical role in maintaining stability since the end of World War II.
However, the entire international order is shifting as the U.S. grows increasingly unpredictable—even toward the very system it helped create.
Trump has long opposed multilateral cooperation, preferring to go it alone because he believes the U.S. is the world’s most powerful country. As president, he wants to be the lone hero—the ultimate dealmaker, controlling matters of peace, lives, and perhaps even deaths.
Yet, the confrontation at the White House has had one unexpected consequence: it has forced European nations to get their act together. They now recognize that Ukraine’s security is a shared responsibility.
In the past, European leaders paid lip service to defending Ukraine while the Biden administration, with its Europe-oriented leadership, took charge.
Now, with Trump’s harsh new stance, Europe has been caught off guard. As Starmer put it, the burden now falls on Europe to step up.
However, even as Europe takes on more responsibility, it still needs American support to strengthen its resolve.
Europe, however, faces its own challenges.
The domestic politics of the EU’s most prominent members—France, Germany, and even the U.K.—are in turmoil. Their governments are weak, while far-right extremist groups are gaining ground, seeking to overpower ruling coalitions.
Whether Europe can remain united and take on greater responsibility for Ukraine’s security remains an open question.
Over the past six weeks, Trump has relentlessly attacked America’s closest allies and trading partners, including Canada and Mexico.
He has also threatened the world with tariff hikes on nations running trade surpluses with the U.S. In reality, such actions would harm American consumers, who would bear the burden of higher costs.
As time goes on, more bizarre policies and pronouncements from the White House will likely emerge—policies that will be difficult for the world to accept. But this was the choice American voters made.
The problem is, this choice has global consequences that are impossible to ignore.
Given this new reality, developing nations that once relied on American sympathy and assistance must rethink their strategies.
They must prepare for an America that is shifting toward isolationism. The Global South needs solidarity and deeper cooperation among its members. Representing the majority of UN countries, these nations possess the collective resources and political will to withstand the turbulence caused by Trump’s erratic policies.
To ensure a balanced global order, the Global South must strengthen its ties with Europe. A multipolar world—where every nation has a voice in shaping its shared destiny—is the best safeguard against instability.
If Europe and the Global South work together, they can help preserve an international system that does not rely solely on the unpredictable whims of an American president.
