Trump-Zelensky Oval Office meltdown signals diplomatic difficulties, 'even for Anwar'

Experts view the recent clash at the White House between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky as proof that Trump is not an easy figure with which to negotiate, even for long-time allies such as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Analyst Oh Ei Sun said the incident showed that Anwar's ties with the previous US establishment might no longer be an advantage.

"Even close allies are treated by Trump at arm’s length, what more countries like Malaysia which occasionally make noise, such as on Middle Eastern issues which do not actually concern Malaysia, that successive American administrations frowned upon," he said.

Oh, who was once appointed by Najib Razak to serve as a political secretary, suggested that Anwar take a leaf out of the former prime minister's book in approaching Trump, using promises of Malaysian investments in the US and sidestepping Middle Eastern issues.

He also urged Anwar's administration to engage US public relations firms, as Najib had done.

"Leave it to the polished American PR professionals and not just the diplomats, career or political alike," he said.

In 2017, Trump welcomed Najib to the White House and thanked him for the investments he had brought to the US.

Notable agreements then included the purchase of 25 Boeing aircraft worth US$3.2 billion.

Najib’s administration also sought to encourage Malaysian companies to invest in the states, while Najib himself had meetings with US business leaders to discuss investments in various sectors.

Anwar, long considered a US-backed leader in the region, has yet to hold a call with Trump despite Malaysia's position as Asean chair this year. The leaders of neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, however, have been in touch with the US president.

Nazri Aziz, who just last month ended a brief stint as Malaysia's ambassador to the US, denied any failure in arranging a call between Putrajaya and Washington.

Oh, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Anwar's acquaintances were mostly Democrats such as former vice-president Al Gore.  

"His other, ironically Jewish, friend Paul Wolfowitz is a Bush appointee, and the Bushes are not on good terms with Trump," he added.

Geopolitical observer Nur Ashikin Yusof agreed that Trump was not a leader who was easy to negotiate with.

"Trump is a leader who is difficult to predict and prioritises US interests above all else," Nur Ashikin, of Universiti Utara Malaysia, said.

Two areas of concern are expected to present roadblocks to US-Malaysia ties: the Palestinian issue and Malaysia's participation in BRICS, the economic group founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China dan South Africa, which has since included several other countries frowned upon by Washington.

Trump had warned BRICS member countries against replacing the US dollar by threatening to impose 100% tariffs.

Nur Ashikin reminded that Trump has been the most pro-Israel president in modern US history, responsible for recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital and cutting aid to Palestine. 

"If a meeting in Washington takes place, Trump may push Malaysia to soften its pro-Palestinian stance, possibly through economic or diplomatic sanctions," she said.

Anwar has openly defended Malaysia's relations with resistance group Hamas, meeting with its leader and claiming to have received threats due to his support for Palestine.

According to a report by Bloomberg, though, Anwar was advised by top officials to soften his stance on issue of Palestine, as Trump had threatened to impose sanctions on a number of countries including Malaysia.

Citing the experience of Jordan’s King Abdullah II in dealing with Trump on the Gaza issue, Nur Ashikin said it was an example of how Muslim leaders could lose credibility if they failed to take a firm stance in defending the interests of the Muslim world.

"When Trump announced a peace plan that was clearly biased in favour of Israel, the Jordanian king adopted a soft diplomatic approach which ultimately damaged his image in the eyes of his people and the broader Muslim world.

"Criticism against him grew as he was seen as lacking the courage to oppose policies that openly disadvantaged Palestine and reinforced Israel’s dominance in the region," she said.

Senior consultant Samirul Ariff Othman said given Trump's direct and often confrontational style, leaders should refine their diplomatic strategies when engaging with his administration.

"This means avoiding public disagreements and ensuring that discussions with the US align with Trump’s transactional approach, and framing discussions around mutual economic and security benefits to appeal to Trump’s deal-making mindset," Samirul, of Global Asia Consulting, said.

Nur Ashikin however said that Malaysia must maintain strategic autonomy in its foreign policy without yielding to the pressures of major powers.