• Source:JND
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In a rare sartorial shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared in a formal black suit instead of his signature military-style outfit during a royal dinner hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the royal palace in Den Bosch. The event, attended by heads of state and top defence delegations, marked a symbolic moment as Zelensky prepared for a substantive meeting with US President Donald Trump.

This meeting between Trump and Zelensky, their second this year, carried both diplomatic weight and public curiosity. The previous interaction, held in the Oval Office in March, had drawn criticism after Trump and a conservative journalist appeared to mock Zelensky for wearing his wartime sweatshirt, a black military-style pullover adorned with the Ukrainian trident. At the time, Zelensky had responded curtly, “I will wear a suit after this war finishes.”

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This latest meeting brought a more cordial tone. Following their nearly 50-minute discussion, Zelensky wrote on X, “I had a long and substantive meeting with President Trump. We covered all the truly important issues. I thank Mr. President, I thank the United States. We discussed how to achieve a ceasefire and a real peace. We spoke about how to protect our people. We appreciate the attention and the readiness to help bring peace closer.”

Trump echoed the sentiment, saying, “It was a great meeting. I think this is a great time to end the war. Maybe I will talk to President Putin to end the war.”

Speaking earlier at a press briefing in The Hague, Trump acknowledged the complexities of the ongoing war in Ukraine, stating, “It’s more difficult than people would have any idea. Vladimir Putin has been more difficult, and frankly, I had some problems with Zelensky, you might have read about them.”

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Trump Calls Zelensky 'Very Nice'

He added that Zelensky was “very nice” during their meeting, despite their rocky history, and confirmed his intention to open dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky’s decision to wear a suit at the Dutch royal dinner may have been an attempt to shift the conversation back to diplomacy rather than appearances. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zelensky has deliberately maintained his wartime attire as a mark of solidarity with soldiers on the frontlines.