Trump’s negotiation tactics are masterful — diplomat

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV. 

"From the perspective of negotiations and how they should be conducted, Trump behaves not only rationally but, as I believe, masterfully. He doesn't announce any key parameters of what he wants to achieve. He doesn't limit himself. The consultations are conducted privately and confidentially. And when it comes to pushing something, making concessions, he won't be constrained by his statements. Keith Kellogg also speaks quite carefully. And in general, Americans are very precise in coordinating their messages—what, how, and when they actually speak. When you hear something new, it's a conscious task either to shape public opinion or to understand what and how needs to be conveyed. In the Kremlin, as you can see, no one says much either. They try to keep everyone in a suspended state, in a state of intrigue. And this, of course, makes us nervous, it makes Europeans nervous. In fact, it makes anyone trying to decode what Trump is saying nervous. And I literally wouldn’t engage in this and wouldn’t look for detailed messages there," the diplomat remarked.

Pavlo Klimkin believes Donald Trump's strategy regarding how he talks about negotiations is optimal. According to the diplomat, the U.S. president does not provide specifics because these will be discussed privately.  

"When Trump mentions certain numbers, it doesn't mean those numbers are absolutely reflective of reality. But they work well for those who support Trump, and not just for his supporters—they explain the logic. And if they explain the logic—why not? Then a journalist might approach Trump and say: 'Mr. President, I think there's a zero here...' And Trump would reply: 'Where did you get that from? I think it's like this.' Who will argue with him after that?  

So yes, the way Trump speaks about future negotiations is a pretty optimal strategy. And, by the way, he doesn't say exactly what, how, or in what sequence. All that will be discussed privately. In this sense, he has a business-like logic for negotiations. And he's not a bad negotiator. The only question is how he'll structure these negotiations. They are absolutely critical for him," he believes.

• Putin will only agree to a truce if he believes Russia’s economy cannot sustain both war and social stability.