The diplomatic spat between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has escalated into a full-blown crisis, drawing reactions from global leaders and raising concerns about the future of international diplomacy.
On Wednesday, Trump labeled Zelensky a “dictator,” intensifying a war of words that began when the former U.S. president accused Ukraine of starting the conflict with Russia. The remarks have sparked widespread criticism, with European leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly backing Zelensky. Yet, as the war in Ukraine rages on, the situation remains dangerously volatile.
Trump’s outburst on Truth Social defies diplomatic norms but Trump is no ordinary politician. Handling him requires a unique approach.
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How Zelensky responds will not only shape Ukraine’s immediate diplomatic standing but also set the tone for navigating a potential second Trump presidency. It’s a crucial test of modern crisis communication.
We spoke with crisis PR expert Rick Guttridge, founder and CEO of Manchester-based Smoking Gun, to understand how he would advise Zelensky if he were part of his communications team in Kyiv today.
With 25 years of experience managing reputational crises – from global food recalls and industrial action to government rulings and allegations against Premier League footballers – Guttridge knows how to handle high-stakes situations.
Here’s his advice for Zelensky:
Zelensky is caught in a no win situation with the temperature rapidly turning to boiling point in an already delicate melting pot.
When dealing with an unpredictable and outspoken leader like Trump, separating emotion from strategy and calm thinking remain paramount.
Trumps comms strategy often seems to centre around continually engaging in bafflement and a blitzkrieg approach. He changes his mind nearly as often as he changed press secretaries and comms directors in his first term (10 if memory serves me right) and speaks out on such a high volume of matters, policies and opinions it becomes almost impossible to absorb or even fact check them all.
Fighting mis- and disinformation could become a full time job for Zelensky which would detract from his own messaging. He needs to stay on message. Keeping it simple and not rise to the bait. Zelensky should also continue to play his strengths – charismatic, emotive storytelling and requires Churchillian levels of oratory to deliver powerful and memorable messages.
Allowing other – currently mostly European – leaders to advocate for him remains a key tool in maintaining popular support and to assert pressure on his adversaries.
