Trade talks go hybrid

The conference room had been rebuilt for the occasion. A video wall replaced the far end of the table, the seating was thinned out, and the flags of the absent delegations were placed where their representatives would otherwise have sat.

Hybrid diplomacy was born of necessity, but it has stuck. Travel budgets are smaller, agendas are longer, and a working group that meets weekly by video can resolve technical points that used to wait for a summit.

The disadvantages are familiar to anyone who has sat through a long video call. Side conversations vanish, tone is hard to read, and a dropped connection at the wrong moment can undo an hour of progress. The final communiqué, when it came, was agreed in person.