For his second visit to the White House, Volodymyr Zelenskyy continued to avoid the suit, but he did put on a field jacket

Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Donald Trump at the White House for the second time this year. Screen shot: newyorkpost/YouTube

Even after the flak he received for his attire worn during his last visit to the White House in February, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not cave. For his latest White House visit, he still opted out of the traditional suit that American politicians favour, but he did choose to wear what looked like a field jacket. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Mr Zelenskyy has put aside traditional suits as an admirable gesture of solidarity with his country’s armed forces. He has stated that he will not wear one again until the war is over. His choice is largely seen as a powerful and consistent symbol of his leadership and solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a country ravaged by war, and the quest for peace that has been, hitherto, elusive.

When he emerged from the vehicle after 1pm, Mr Zelenskyy’s even delighted his waiting host, Donald Trump. Gesturing with his left hand at the turnout of his guest, the POTUS exclaimed, “I love it.” And rapidly came the charm offensive: “It’s the best I have,” Mr Zelenskyy replied. The top of his heap comprised of a black shirt, buttoned to the neck, but it held no tie. Over that was a jacket that has been widely described as “military-style”: unstructured; safari-like, except with welt pockets; high, almost Edwardian-flavoured notched label; and what looked like functional buttons for the sleeve vent. He paired all that with tailored black trousers that were clearly not fatigues. In sum, it was monochrome that was not inconsistent with his less dressy looks, except now, there was a whiff of fashion cred about it.

The men of the moment inside the White House. Photo: Reuters

According to the UK’s The Independent, the White House had asked Ukranian officials prior to the meeting if Mr Zelenskyy would turn up in a suit. This was, reportedly, not a formal demand or ultimatum, but it appeared to be a clear signal that they were hoping for a more formal dress. After what the Ukrainian president went through the last time, it was in his best interest to not appear as if he just came in from the battlefront. Mr Zelenskyy knew how to play his cards this time, even after Mr Trump previously said he had none to play. His sartorial choice showed that, while he maintained his core principle of no suit, he also made a subtle concession towards hints of formality. It demonstrates his ability to adapt his message without abandoning it. He was probably even more aware this time that not only was the White House going to zoom in on his attire, the rest of the world would be too. He was determined to make sans-suit work.

And worked it did. His outfit not only confirmed his sartorial tenacity, it imbued him with considerable confidence. Brian Glenn of the MAGA-adjacent cable network Real America’s Voice remarked that Mr Zelenskyy’s attire was “fabulous” and “wonderful”, which dramatically contrasted with his previous, clearly hostile “Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re at the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit”. Mr Trump interrupted: “I said the same thing.” He turned to Zelenskyy and snitched: “That’s the one that attacked you last time.” The Ukranian president did not dial down his concerted charm: “I remember that,” he deadpanned. “You are in the same suit,” addressing the reporter, “You see, I changed. You’re not.” He deftly turned the optics to his favour and helped the White House avoid a repeat of a publicly embarrassing and unproductive diplomatic encounter.

Donald Trump receiving the letter, written by one first lady to another first lady. Screen shot: aljazeera/YouTube

Mr Zelenskyy learned his lesson well. This time, he knew to express his gratitude. Seated on the same chair in the oval office, as he did previously, he was clearly in top form, saying, before JD Vance could pounce on him, “Thank you so much, Mr President. If I can, first of all, thank you for the invitation (before the could complete the sentence, Mr Trump said, “please”!). And thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop the killing, to stop this war. Thank you.” He even made sure he thanked the first lady, with Mr Trump nodding approvingly, for her letter to Vladimir Putin, in which she spoke “about our children”. He even handed Mr Trump a letter written by his wife Olena Volodymyrivna Kyiashko that address to Melania Trump, even joking, “it’s not for you; it’s for your wife. The laughter heard in the Oval Office was such a sharp contrast to the mood of that fateful February that observers had described as an ambush.

The two men seated on the armchair, upholstered in the yellow of lemon froyo, appeared to be rather chummy. But both their shoulders told a different posturing. Mr Zelenskyy’s unpadded shoulders showed a more relaxed positioning, ready for a less combative interaction. Trump, who appeared to have not changed what he wore since he met Vladimir Putin last Friday, hunched under his over-padded shoulders, projecting power and status, as well as the “daddy” image that allowed him to play a more dominant, papa-knows-best persona. The difference in their shoulder padding and overall posture is a visual representation of the power dynamic and the carefully orchestrated diplomacy at play. But for all of Mr Zelenskyy’s sartorial preparation that delighted his host, the meeting’s results were yet a concrete plan for peace. The sheer joy that someone’s attire can bring to the U.S. president begs one question: does such a reaction suggest a superficiality that could hinder genuine diplomatic progress? Or, did diplomatic optics, ultimately, win? Volodymyr Zelenskyy successfully transforming a point of past hostility into a moment of shared humor and apparent unity was the remarkable victory.