Diplomacy often unfolds in gestures as much as in declarations, where attire, language, and rituals convey meaning transcending policy. On August 18, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walked into the Oval Office wearing a black jacket and collared shirt—a marked departure from his usual military-style attire. That detail, seemingly trivial, became laden with cultural symbolism. Donald Trump seized on it, jesting, “I said the same thing,” after hearing a reporter compliment Zelensky’s suit. Zelensky retorted with wit: “You are wearing the same suit. I changed. You did not” (Washington Post).
This seemingly lighthearted exchange reveals much: the collision of contexts (warfare vs protocol), the performance of gratitude as diplomacy, and the anthropological dynamics of cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. Through these lenses, we see how Zelensky, shaped by wartime ethos, recalibrated to Western formal norms to maintain a fragile alliance. The suit becomes a symbol—a sartorial gesture rooted in cultural codes of respect, solidarity, and strategic adaptation.
Cultural Relativism: Interpreting Symbolism in Context
Cultural relativism encourages us to understand behaviors within their own cultural frameworks rather than judging them by external standards. Zelensky’s habitual choice of combat-style clothing during wartime is not a fashion quirk but a profound ritual gesture. It symbolizes solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines and signals leadership under siege. Earlier this year, Zelensky even insisted he would wear a suit only “after the war is finished” (Wikipedia).
When he shifted to a suit—or more precisely, a hybrid “combat formal” outfit with a black jacket—he was not abandoning his wartime symbolism but adapting it for a new context: a high-stakes diplomatic stage where Western expectations demand sartorial decorum (Economic Times).
Seen through cultural relativism, Zelensky’s stance is consistent. His attire reflects a nuanced cultural negotiation: remaining authentic to wartime symbolism while recognizing the sartorial expectations embedded in Western diplomacy.
Ethnocentrism: Western Norms as Diplomatic Currency
Ethnocentrism becomes visible in the Western assumption that a suit equals respect, dignity, and seriousness. Earlier this year, a reporter asked Zelensky, “Why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit?”—a question that implied not wearing one was a form of disrespect, measured through Western dress codes (Reddit transcript).
This same ethnocentric pattern applied to gratitude. Senator J.D. Vance admonished Zelensky for failing to say “thank you” enough, implicitly framing gratitude as a ritualized obligation in diplomacy. In that worldview, deference to U.S. leaders was seen as a moral requirement, not just a polite choice (Washington Post).
Yet Zelensky’s cultural position as wartime leader prioritized different values: solidarity with soldiers and national resilience over outward shows of deference. Western ethnocentric judgments—like equating a suit to seriousness—risk misreading those cultural signals.
Gratitude as Strategic Adaptation
In August, however, Zelensky pivoted dramatically, deploying what observers dubbed “gratitude diplomacy.” He repeatedly thanked Trump—eight to eleven times in the space of minutes (Reuters)—and even presented a handwritten letter from his wife to Melania Trump (Kyiv Post).
Through cultural relativism, these acts represent Zelensky’s adaptation within Western communicative codes: repeating “thank you,” offering personal tokens, and adopting semi-formal attire to demonstrate deference. From an anthropological lens, this was not capitulation but code-switching—an acknowledgment that in global diplomacy, ritual gratitude and formality can carry as much weight as battlefield victories.
Suit as Symbol of Stability
The suit itself carries layered meanings. By moving from military fatigues to hybrid “combat formal” attire, Zelensky conveyed a message of dual authenticity: he was willing to engage on Western terms while preserving his wartime identity.
Trump’s comment—“You look fabulous in that suit”—functioned both as a compliment and as reinforcement of ethnocentric norms. Zelensky’s witty retort—“I changed. You did not”—highlighted the asymmetry: it was he who had adapted, not Trump (Telegraph India).
Thus, the suit was more than fabric; it was a diplomatic performance. Clothing, in this context, functioned as a nonverbal contract signaling respect and seriousness—proof that even amid existential war, optics matter.
Intercultural Diplomacy: Power and Performance
The European leaders present at the meeting also played their part, repeatedly thanking Trump for “leadership” (Times of India). This collective performance reinforced Trump’s centrality in the alliance.
For anthropologists, the dynamics are telling: Zelensky and European leaders alike adjusted their cultural signals—gratitude, titles, attire—to align with the dominant ethnocentric expectations of U.S. leadership. Such adaptation illustrates how less powerful actors strategically employ “flattery diplomacy” to maintain critical alliances.
Lessons in Anthropology and Diplomacy
This episode demonstrates broader truths:
- Authenticity vs Performance: Zelensky balanced authenticity (wartime solidarity) with performative diplomacy (gratitude and suits).
- Symbolic Capital: Gratitude and attire served as symbolic capital to strengthen alliances.
- Ethnocentric Pitfalls: Western emphasis on dress and thanks risks overlooking cultural variation in expressing dignity.
- Narratives of Diplomacy: Ultimately, the “suit and thanks” became the story—an optics victory, even if substantive policy gains were limited (AP News; The Sun).
Conclusion
Through cultural relativism and ethnocentrism, the Trump-Zelensky meeting becomes more than a photo opportunity. It is a case study in how cultural codes—clothes, words, gestures—mediate global power relations.
Zelensky’s sartorial shift and his effusive gratitude were not trivial—they were adaptive strategies in the face of ethnocentric expectations. Trump’s remarks about the suit, and the West’s insistence on gratitude, revealed the cultural assumptions embedded in diplomacy.
In a world of asymmetric power, leaders like Zelensky must navigate between cultural authenticity and external norms. His “combat formal” attire and repeated thanks illustrate how survival in diplomacy often requires performing rituals on another culture’s stage. Anthropology reminds us that behind every suit and every “thank you” lies a world of cultural codes—and the delicate art of balancing them.
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