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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shook hands with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, wearing a black, military-style outfit that resembled his attire during previous meetings with world leaders. Trump appeared to compliment Zelensky on his appearance as he greeted him.
In the Oval Office, reporter Brian Glenn—a boyfriend of Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene—told Zelensky that “you look fabulous in that suit.” Glenn had previously criticized Zelensky for being too casual during a previous visit, implying disrespect. Trump chimed in, saying he felt the same way and referred to an earlier incident where someone had criticized Zelensky’s outfit.
Zelensky responded, “I remember that,” as laughter rippled through the room. He quipped, “You are in the same suit. I changed, you did not.”
Earlier this year, Zelensky’s decision to wear a long-sleeve T-shirt emblazoned with a Ukrainian military insignia during his tense Oval Office meeting with Trump became a flashpoint. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Zelensky has abandoned the traditional suit-and-tie look of statesmen and opted for military-style attire to show solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers.
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The White House had asked Zelensky to wear a traditional suit and tie ahead of Monday’s meeting, according to a European official. Instead, Zelensky appeared in a dark short-sleeve T-shirt during his meeting with Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, as seen in a video he shared on X.
The clothing choice has caused friction at times, including during a February Oval Office meeting where Trump remarked, “He’s all dressed up,” contrasting Zelensky’s appearance with his own. A journalist told Zelensky that many Americans saw his outfit as disrespectful, to which he retorted, “I will wear a costume when this war is finished.”
Monday’s White House meeting brought together Trump, Zelensky, and top European officials just three days after Trump held separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump said those discussions laid the groundwork for progress and suggested Ukraine now needed to consider possible concessions.
“If everything works out today, we’ll have a trilat,” Trump said, referring to potential trilateral negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. “We’re going to work with Russia, we’re going to work with Ukraine.”
The meeting began with a one-on-one session between Trump and Zelensky, followed by a broader meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump welcomed the idea of trilateral talks. “We are ready for trilateral as president said,” he told reporters. “It’s a good signal. I think this is very good.”
Trump said he would support European security guarantees for Ukraine but stopped short of pledging U.S. troop involvement. Instead, he suggested a “NATO-like” security presence and added that details would be discussed later with European Union leaders.
Russia’s deputy United Nations ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, criticized the Ukrainian leadership, saying they should think about their people who don’t want to fight and are ready for peace. Robert B. Murrett, a professor of practice of international affairs at Syracuse University, noted that most everyone has recognized the prospects of those five provinces in play.
Trump said he plans to speak to Putin after his meetings with Zelensky and European leaders.
The talks marked their first in-person exchange since the July NATO summit and came as Trump’s administration considers whether to maintain, restructure, or reduce U.S. military support to Kyiv.
