Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is using the phrase “outstanding achievement” to describe the Gaza peace deal in a deliberate and strategic campaign to unlock a new level of action from the United States. The consistent praise is a tool of diplomacy aimed directly at President Donald Trump.
By framing the Gaza deal in such glowing terms, Zelensky is appealing to a legacy of success. His message is essentially: ‘You have demonstrated an outstanding ability to make peace; we are offering you the opportunity to do so again on an even grander scale.’
This is more than just flattery. It’s a political framing that makes it easier for the US to engage. It recasts intervention in Ukraine not as getting bogged down in another foreign conflict, but as replicating a proven, successful formula that has already garnered international acclaim.
Zelensky made the connection explicit after his phone call with Trump, stating, “If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well.” This transforms the “outstanding achievement” in Gaza from a single event into a global principle of action.
While these words of praise echo in diplomatic circles, the reality in Ukraine remains grim. The praise is a key, and Zelensky hopes it is the one that will finally unlock the door to the kind of decisive American leadership and military support needed to end the daily suffering.