Body language expert explains 'absolute shift' in Trump, Zelensky's behavior from their past meeting

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, October 17, a day after the POTUS' "very productive" call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the two agreed to talk face-to-face in Hungary in the coming weeks to try and end the war.

Body language expert Dr Beth Dawson spoke to the New York Post and talked about what she observed from the two leaders' body language, and if their relationship has seen a shift since their February Oval Office meeting, which didn't end on a good note.

Beth Dawson details her observation of Trump-Zelensky meeting

Talking to the New York Post, Dr Beth Dawson said that there is an "absolute shift" in the meetings and there is a collaborative engagement between the two men. She added that Friday's meeting was very different from their previous meetings.

Her immediate observation was a change in Zelensky's approach to their handshake. 

"What we see is something slightly different in terms of how Volodymyr Zelensky reacted when they first met. We see he is giving his handshake and what we see is his passive arm is resting by his side. We don't always see this," Dawson said.

She continued, "We have seen him in previous handshakes where he is bringing his passive arm to touch the other person. We don't see that here and that is actually very interesting."

"What we see is he is standing upright, he is balanced, and he is smiling. But the fact that he is keeping his left arm by his side shows that he doesn't want to oversignal warmth or dominance. It's probably a deliberate act of restraint," the body language expert added.

Dawson further noted that a one-handed handshake usually tends to show that something is not personal. It is about keeping a distance and showing someone is confident and shows professionalism.

Body language expert says Zelensky's vocal range was much lower than usual

Beth Dawson also noticed that the Ukrainian president's vocal range was much lower and flatter than usual.

"His baseline communication is often known to be quite emotional. Even though he is quite restrained and contained, he does have that emotional way of communicating," she mentioned.

"I noticed during the press conference that his voice was carrying much less variation and energy. There could be several reasons for it. It could be due to emotional fatigue, strain, or could also be deliberate control," Dawson remarked. 

"It could be a strategic attempt to project steadiness or authority. But that flatter tone is completely present and we can hear it throughout the press conference," she shared.

She said that a lower pitch is usually associated with more seriousness and more authority.

Further in her examination, Dawson explained, "We are seeing two leaders who are emphasizing the political value of appearing aligned. It is quite evident, and it is a big shift from the previous meetings that we have seen."

Comparing the two presidents, she added, "Zelensky thinks to respond to questions in a diplomatic way, but he doesn't answer the question directly. However, then we see President Trump answer the questions directly, leading to competence and incompetence. This shows that Zelensky is very cautious and diplomatic of what to say."