Zelensky Makes Power Move With Canada
Zelensky’s decision to stop first in Ottawa was not a courtesy call; it was strategic choreography.
By securing visible Canadian backing before stepping into Washington,
he altered the script of his encounter with U.S. power.
He was no longer a lone leader begging for support,
but the representative of a shared Western concern,
already validated by another democratic ally.
That changed how every handshake, every press statement,
every closed-door conversation could be interpreted.
For Trump, whose instinct is to reduce foreign policy to one-on-one deals,
the pre-built alliance around Ukraine narrowed the room for transactional theatrics.
Any gesture toward Kyiv now carried implications for Canada and, by extension,
for a wider network of partners watching closely.
Zelensky avoided confrontation, but not influence: he used sequencing, symbolism,
and coalition-building to shift leverage without raising his voice, proving that in modern diplomacy,
the most decisive battles are often won before anyone sits down at the table.
