WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s latest meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump carried a more cordial tone compared to the tense encounter the two leaders had six months ago.
The talks took place in the Oval Office on Thursday, where Zelensky sought to smooth relations by opening with repeated thanks to Trump and even delivering a personal letter from his wife to the U.S. president. He also praised First Lady Melania Trump for her public message to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the suffering of children during the war.
Unlike the February meeting, where Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful, this time Trump’s delegation – including Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff – remained silent throughout. Zelensky also swapped his usual military attire for a black suit, which drew a light-hearted exchange with Trump after previous disputes about his clothing.
During the discussions, Zelensky told reporters Ukraine needed “everything” when it came to security guarantees, listing weapons, manpower, training, and intelligence as priorities that would depend on support from the U.S. and other allies.
Trump, meanwhile, did not rule out the possibility of deploying American troops to Ukraine under a future peace arrangement, a shift from his earlier campaign stance of avoiding foreign conflicts. He said European nations would take the lead but added there would be “a lot of help” from the U.S.
The American president also confirmed he would call Russian leader Vladimir Putin once the day’s meetings concluded, suggesting a potential trilateral summit with Zelensky and Putin could present “a good chance” of ending the war.
Away from Ukraine, Trump again raised controversy by repeating unfounded claims that mail-in ballots are corrupt, pledging to issue an executive order to restrict their use.
For Zelensky, however, the improved tone of this Oval Office encounter appeared to signal progress in keeping diplomatic channels open as the war with Russia continues.
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