How Ukraine's New Expanded Team Approach Could Change Peace Talks
President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent formation of a "permanent expanded national negotiation group" marks a significant shift in Ukraine's approach...
4 min read
RED BEAR
:
May 28, 2025 8:42:30 AM
The ongoing Global Plastic Treaty negotiations represent one of the most complex international negotiations of our time, involving 175+ nations, competing economic interests, and environmental urgency. After the inconclusive INC-5 meeting in Busan, South Korea, negotiations will resume in Geneva this August 2025—providing negotiation professionals with a compelling case study in strategic positioning, power dynamics, and coalition building.
The Global Plastic Pollution Treaty isn't just about environmental protection—it's a trillion-dollar negotiation that will reshape entire industries. With plastic production expected to triple by 2060 and over 3,300 delegates representing 170+ nations at the table, this negotiation demonstrates every principle RED BEAR teaches about high-stakes, multi-party negotiations.
At its core, this negotiation exemplifies what happens when fundamental interests clash: environmental protection versus economic growth, developed versus developing nation priorities, and voluntary versus binding commitments.
Let's break this down a little.
Led by Norway, Rwanda, and including the EU, Canada, and Pacific Island nations, the High Ambition Coalition demonstrates masterful positioning. They've successfully reframed plastic pollution from a waste management issue to a production crisis requiring binding global action.
This coalition employs RED BEAR's principle of "Position Your Case Advantageously" by:
Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and other petrochemical-dependent nations demonstrate equally strategic positioning. Rather than opposing environmental action outright, they've reframed their stance around:
This positioning allows them to appear reasonable while protecting their core economic interests—a classic negotiation move.
The plastic treaty negotiations showcase how effective coalition building can shift negotiation dynamics. Over 100 nations have now publicly supported production reduction targets, creating significant momentum for the High Ambition Coalition.
This demonstrates RED BEAR's principle of "Understand Your Power"—recognizing that coalitions can create leverage that individual nations lack. The High Ambition Coalition has transformed from a minority voice to representing "billions of people," fundamentally shifting the negotiation landscape.
The treaty negotiations demonstrate sophisticated information management—a crucial negotiation skill RED BEAR emphasizes. Each side strategically reveals and conceals information to maintain advantage:
Environmental coalitions emphasize:
Oil-producing nations focus on:
Neither side fully reveals their true bottom lines or acceptable compromise positions—maintaining negotiating space for future concessions.
The Busan negotiations revealed how strategic concession planning works in practice. The decision to extend negotiations rather than accept a weaker deal demonstrates sophisticated concession strategy.
As RED BEAR teaches, "Plan Your Concessions"—know what you're willing to give up and when. The High Ambition Coalition's willingness to accept delay rather than compromise on production caps shows they understand this principle.
The agreed-upon "Chair's Text" serves as a strategic concession by all parties—providing a framework for resumed negotiations while preserving each side's core positions.
The plastic treaty negotiations reveal multiple sources of negotiating power at work:
The plastic treaty talks demonstrate how productive tension can drive innovative solutions. Rather than avoiding conflict between environmental and economic priorities, successful negotiators in Busan acknowledged these tensions and used them to explore creative alternatives.
This aligns with RED BEAR's core principle that tension isn't the enemy of negotiation—it's the engine. The most innovative proposals emerged from directly confronting the production versus waste management divide.
Potential breakthrough solutions being discussed include:
The Global Plastic Treaty negotiations offer valuable insights for business professionals:
Like the High Ambition Coalition, business negotiators can build leverage by aligning with other stakeholders—suppliers, customers, or industry partners—to strengthen their position.
How you frame the negotiation determines the playing field. Are you discussing "cost reduction" or "value creation"? "Contract terms" or "strategic partnership"?
Control what you reveal and when. The most skilled negotiators share information strategically to build trust while maintaining leverage.
International negotiations prioritize ongoing relationships over short-term wins—a principle equally important in business negotiations where you'll interact repeatedly.
Like nations in treaty talks, businesses have various sources of negotiating power beyond just economic leverage—expertise, relationships, market position, and reputation all matter.
The resumed negotiations in Geneva will test whether the strategic positioning and coalition building we've seen can produce a breakthrough. Key factors to watch:
The Global Plastic Treaty negotiations demonstrate that the most complex deals—whether international treaties or business agreements—succeed through the same fundamental principles RED BEAR teaches:
Whether you're negotiating a supplier agreement, closing a major sale, or leading cross-functional discussions, these same principles apply. The scale may differ, but the strategic thinking remains constant.
As the world watches to see if 175+ nations can agree on the planet's plastic future, negotiation professionals have a front-row seat to one of the most instructive negotiation case studies of our time.
The question isn't whether a deal will emerge—it's what kind of deal, and which negotiating strategies will ultimately prove most effective in securing it.
Ready to master the negotiation principles demonstrated in these global talks? RED BEAR's training programs have helped 45% of the Fortune 500 develop the strategic thinking and tactical skills that drive results in any negotiation. Contact us to learn how these same principles can transform your team's negotiating effectiveness.
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