Assertive Diplomacy Quotes

What we (U.S.) have done, is undertaken diplomacy through public assertions that tend to alienate everyone.

... assertive multilateralism.

[Putin] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically.

Given a fair wind, we will negotiate our way into the Common Market, head held high, not crawling in. Negotiations? Yes. Unconditional acceptance of whatever terms are offered us? No.

At the end of the day, men like Donald Trump need to be given that which they themselves dispense: clear messages. I would confront him as clearly and explicitly as possible. It is not only the right, but also the duty, of the leader of a German government to do that.

I think to deal with Putin, you need to deal from strength. He's a bully, you enable bad behavior when you're nuanced with a guy like that.

Well, we definitely need a strong and clear and assertive America. That's for sure. But you've always got to build alliances. And so it's very important that we are able to build those alliances. And where we don't do what in a way to extremists want us to do, which is to make this into a battle between the West and Islam - it's not. This isn't a clash between civilizations. It's about whether the values of tolerance and respect for difference prevail.

You've seen President Trump act decisively when it comes to Syria. It didn't take him long to pull the trigger in regard to a response to the chemical attack. That's a decisive leader and that's who the G20 leaders saw in Hamburg, as someone who is decisive, someone who is not afraid, someone who doesn't kowtow, and stands up for himself when it comes to issues of disagreement like trade and the Paris agreement.

We [the French] have to keep defending our vital interests …, we can say no, alone, to anything that may be unacceptable.

The gentleman cannot have forgotten his own sentiment, uttered even on the floor of this House, Peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must.

If we have to use force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall. We see further into the future.

I do believe that American should deal from strength.

This is a time when the United States should be standing tall. There is no other leader in the world today. We shouldn't be approaching conflicts as a team sport. We either get in an we lead and we do a good job, or you don't get in at all.

I never take a step in foreign policy unless I am assured that I shall be able to carry out my will by force.