The US requested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky come to a meeting with Donald Trump in a business suit. The Ukrainian leader did not comply with the request, which angered Trump.
This is reported by the Axios publication, citing two unnamed sources.
Volodymyr Zelensky wore black to his meeting with Trump, but not a suit. The day before, the US presidentʼs team had advised Zelensky to abandon the military style of clothing that had become his usual style after Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. He was advised to wear "something more formal".
Donald Trump, when meeting Zelensky at the entrance to the White House, said: "He dressed up today."
During a press conference between Ukrainian and American leaders, a reporter asked Zelensky why he didnʼt wear a suit. According to him, this was an alleged disrespect for the United States.
"Iʼll wear a suit when this war is over. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better. Maybe something cheaper," Zelensky replied.
How did the meeting between Trump and Zelensky go?
Volodymyr Zelensky met with the US President Donald Trump in Washington on February 28, the day they were supposed to sign a rare earth minerals agreement. However, during a brief question-and-answer session, the Ukrainian and American leaders took a more heated tone.
It all started with the words of the Ukrainian president about the need to provide Ukraine with security guarantees and actively include Kyiv in the negotiation process.
"You have no right to tell us what to do," Zelensky said.
Trump started talking about destroyed Ukrainian cities and the shortage of men in Ukraine. To which Zelensky responded that the American leader should come to Ukraine and check.
"You should be grateful. You donʼt have the cards in your hands," Trump said, once again recalling that the US allegedly gave Ukraine $350 million in aid.
The President of Ukraine replied that he "didnʼt come here to play cards".
President Zelensky also once again emphasized that Europe must be at the negotiating table. According to him, the ceasefire proposed by Trump is not a solution. Ukraine will never accept a ceasefire without security guarantees, because Russia has violated such ceasefires 25 times.
After that, the journalists left the meeting, and later it became known that the president of Ukraine had left the White House early, Trump said that the president of Ukraine was not ready for peace. The countries did not sign the agreement.
After that, the President of Ukraine wrote a post in X, where he thanked the American President, Congress, and the people.
"Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and we are working for this," he wrote.
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