Cultural Mishaps Lead to Wrecked Foreign Policy

The kerfuffle between Presidents Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office was a classic culture clash in a political setting, as much as the meeting was doomed by a clash of personalities. Let’s look at the spectacle resulting in an abrupt end to the negotiations from another perspective, more than just a clash of personalities or political theatre. It was sparked by a clash of cultures.  Bibi Netanyahu was equally at odds with President Obama years earlier. Both scenes could have been avoided if more attention had been paid to Osnat Lautman’s experiences and message; i.e.,  the culture in which we are raised shapes how we deliver messages to and soak in from others.

In her first book, Israeli Business Culture, Gefen Publishing, 2019, reprinted in Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, and English, foreign businesspeople find Israelis are brash and rough but innovative. They make no time for small talk; it’s all about closing the deal. Obama came to the failed meeting from a culture of deal-making; he viewed Palestinians as the underdog and downtrodden who fight Israel out of frustration. Bibi though he lived many years in America had the Middle Eastern culture ingrained; i.e., never express pity for your enemy and demonstrate pity for the plight of your enemy—it is a weakness. Time is not a driving force in business or diplomacy; it is all about the journey, getting to know the other, and understanding the business or political environment.

In Lautman’s new book, Global Cultural Interplay: Elevating the Art of Business Success Across Cultures (OLM Consulting, 2025), which we recommend for businesspeople and diplomats, Lautman’s message is that  “most individuals can only look narrowly from their perspective” shaped by “societies we grew up in.” This limits and skews one’s strategies. My culture shapes and affects what I hear.

Communication between heads of state,  managers, and higher-ups, old and young, males and females, can be misdeemed resulting in a total misread of another’s intent. For example, an Israeli and Canadian were transitioning products. The Israeli said his staff “does not care” about the proposed changes. The Canadian CEO took offense. “What’s that supposed to mean, they DON’T CARE?? he thundered.” The Israeli’s point was lost in translation. He meant the Israeli staff didn’t mind the changes. They were ok with them but the damage had been done.

Ukrainians are tough-minded and independent. They survived centuries of invasions and uprisings. They bonded as tribes to form a nation-state and built a formative cultural legacy. While 99% of the deal was set pre-Oval Office meeting, Zelensky viewed the public meeting as an opportunity to squeeze out a commitment for security agreements in the public eye. Zelensky wants America to face off against Russia if and when Russia attacks Ukraine in the future. They met for 40 minutes before the lights and cameras rolled but Zelensky did not raise the issues. With the yell of action, and cameras rolling, Zelensky made his move on Trump. President Trump, an American businessman, thought he had a deal waiting to be signed and confirmed over the breaking of bread. American business culture resents backdoor windstorms and unending wheeling; more so, Americans, and Trump in particular, hate being embarrassed in public; he touts his reputation as the deal-maker and opened the day repeatedly declaring Zelensky was there to sign.

Zelensky views himself as an equal to any world leader. He is not going to cave. Zelensky dressed military-style black, crossing his arms, throwing back his head, eyes to the sky when Vance spoke to him. These are all signs that my people are tough and independent, thankful, but don’t treat us like we are your Puerto Rico. There was no public event when Zelensky agreed to a 30-day cease-fire weeks after the Oval Office meeting.

Another example from Lautman’s book gives gravitas to the importance of cultural preparedness and language in meeting foreign counterparts. To the English, “issue” has a negative connotation. An issue is “like a problematic topic or subject.  To Russians and perhaps East Europeans, an issue is a topic or subject. “The distinction is liable to ruffle some feathers” warns Lautman. Zelensky shut down President Trump.  His issues causing delays gave short shrift to Trump’s ambition; he yearns for the Nobel Prize to end his political on equal footing with Obama.

Dozens of intercultural experts participated in producing Global Cultural Interplay. It ought to be used as an exercise book for honing cultural interplay skills. It is the most incisive and authoritative book available on cross-cultural communication since Edward Hall’s classic, The Silent Language (1959).  The author points out that worldwide there are 7,000 languages in 200 countries. Lautman’s message is particularly relevant to negotiations in the Arab-Israel conflict, Donald Trump’s second foreign affairs agenda priority. This is a multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and religious war in its 2,000th year.