As the Russia-Ukraine conflict risks becoming the latest forgotten war, a major reason is the deadlock in diplomatic efforts to end it.
On this episode of “The Diplomacy Podcast,” we discuss the state of diplomacy five months into the second Trump administration, with Ambassador Daniel Fried, former assistant U.S. secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and former senior director for Europe on the National Security Council staff.
With expert insight and a rare ability to explain complex matters in plain English, Fried assesses Trump’s attempt to “stop the killing” so far.
“Having come up with a reasonable sketch to start diplomacy, and having captured the attention of the Europeans and pushed them into being willing to step up and kick in, Trump has not backed up his own diplomacy with sufficient muscle to have it taken seriously — and Putin will play Trump as long as he possibly can.”
Fried, who was a career diplomat for four decades and also served as U.S. ambassador to Poland, addresses another reason why progress has eluded Trump and his aides, including special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“You need to have an informed eye and ear — and Steve Witkoff doesn’t. It’s not a sign of incompetence or stupidity on his part. It’s simply a sign that he lacks the experience. Don’t ask me to do complicated real-estate deals. You would not be happy with the results.”
Drawing on his decades of experience working with both Russian and Ukrainian officials, Fried shares some of the rules he developed when dealing with them. He also reflects on the war’s origins and evaluates the prospects for diplomatic success.
Watch or listen to the episode above — or on your favorite podcast platform.
Nicholas Kralev is the founder and executive director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, and a former Financial Times and Washington Times correspondent. His books include “Diplomatic Tradecraft,” “America’s Other Army” and “Diplomats in the Trenches.”
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