Golf played a surprising role in global high-stakes diplomacy talks at the White House this week as Ukrainian President Zelensky gifted U.S President Donald Trump a golf club.
And the club was no ordinary token to mark peace talks.
It came from Kostiantyn Kartavtsev, a Ukrainian junior sergeant who lost his leg in the early stages of Russia’s invasion of their country.
The sport became a key part of Kartavtsev’s recovery, and he personally asked Zelensky to deliver the symbolic gift that would resonate with avid golf fan Trump.
Along with the golf club came a video message pleading to Trump to help secure a deal and a route to lasting peace for Ukraine.
A golfing gift with added meaning for Donald Trump
Trump, who recently opened a new course in Scotland, is known for spending countless hours on the golf course as a backdrop for his heavy presidential schedule.
The U.S. leader has been at the forefront of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and is pushing a deal that would end the war following extensive talks with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin and EU leaders in Alaska and Washington D.C.
The gifted golf club will have carried both personal and symbolic weight for Trump in a relatable act that puts Ukraine’s suffering into context.
An offering that proved the sport of golf had proved not just therapy but a sense of purpose for the Ukrainian sergeant.
The golf club stood out as one of the most unique moments of the day from the President’s second, more successful round of peace talks in the Oval Office.
For Zelensky, it was a way to connect with Trump on a personal level with deep added meaning.
Golf has long had a way of easing diplomatic conversations, taking the sting out of fiery talks and allowing matters to be resolved in a more relaxed environment than cabinet tables.
When has golf been a contributing factor in the USA’s global diplomacy?
Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe:
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pounced on Trump’s passion for golf and made the sport a key part of their relationship.
The pair first played golf together in 2017 and went on to play on multiple occasions.
They believed the sport was a way of publicising a positive relationship while tackling diplomatic matters.
Barack Obama and David Cameron:
In 2016, former U.S. President Barack Obama played golf with then-UK Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to England.
Many believe their on-course rapport helped them form a special relationship that brought the two nations closer.
Bill Clinton and Tony Blair:
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, like Trump, was a golf fanatic when holding one of the world’s most powerful jobs.
He used the sport as a diplomatic tool during the 1990s when visiting former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at Chequers, his country retreat in Buckinghamshire.
Clinton taught Blair how to play in a symbolic act of national closeness
READ MORE: Inside Donald Trump’s golf bag in Scotland as he launches new MacLeod Course
