Zelensky ditches the suit again, showing up at the White House to meet Donald Trump in a sleek black jacket.

This week’s meeting was about much more than just fashion choices. Zelensky, along with several European leaders, made his way to Washington to sync up with the Trump administration on a possible peace plan with Russia. The Ukrainian president urged Trump to embrace a “peace through strength” approach and pushed for solid US security guarantees. These discussions came on the heels of Trump’s high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the US leader seemed to lean towards Moscow’s requests, including acknowledging Crimea as Russian territory and Kyiv stepping back from its NATO aspirations. Both of these issues are non-negotiable for Ukraine. Before stepping into the Oval Office, Zelensky had a private huddle with European leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They later joined the US president for broader talks. Trump, at 79, set a combative tone ahead of the discussions, calling it a “big day at the White House” in a series of posts on his Truth Social platform. “I know exactly what I’m doing,” he stated. “I don’t need advice from people who have been dealing with these conflicts for years and never found a solution.” The one-on-one meeting between Trump and Zelensky was closely monitored for any signs of tension, with many recalling the unusual moments from February when Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized the Ukrainian leader during a joint appearance.

NEWS