- By Ajeet Kumar
- Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Oval Office in February this year, it was one of the craziest experiences that a president had potentially went through over dress code. As US President Donald Trump confirmed he will be meeting Zelenskyy again in the United States on Monday, a question arose whether his Ukrainian counterpart would don a suit or maintain his signature style.
Earlier this year, the “humiliation” that the Trump administration had offered to him over his dress code sparked a debate: Is there any dress code to visit the White House? Although during the Oval Office blunder, Zelenskyy didn’t lose his temper when his American counterpart greeted him with: “You’re all dressed up!”. This wasn’t only with Trump, who questioned his dressing sense.
Zelenskyy's dress code in Oval Office
During a joint presser, the Ukranian leader faced a similar humiliation when a reporter asked him, “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. Do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office.”
Responding politely to the reporter's question, Zelenskyy said, “I will wear a costume after this war finishes.” “Maybe something like yours, yes. Maybe something better, I don’t know. Maybe something cheaper,” Zelenskyy shot back.
Why Zelenskyy won’t wear a suit
Interestingly, Zelenskyy was wearing a polo shirt made by Elvira Gasanova, designer of the Damirli brand. While revealing the reason behind Zelenskyy’s signature look, Gasanova told POLITICO, “When world leaders see Zelenskyy in military style, it is a signal — ‘Ukraine is at war and I am part of this fight.”
“A persistent call to return to the suit is a de facto demand to return to the usual format of political dialogue, which means ‘enough of war, sit down at the negotiating table,’” POLITICO quoted Gasanova as saying.
When did Zelenskyy wear a suit for the last time?
As per the report, Zelenskyy's last suit-wearing appearance before his recent NATO summit visit was on February 24, 2022, when he announced martial law due to Russia's full-scale invasion. Since then, Zelenskyy has opted for a more practical and symbolic attire, often wearing olive-green or black shirts and cargo trousers, reflecting his solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front lines.
Putin-Trump meeting and Russia's quest for more Ukraine's land
Earlier today, President Trump and his Russian counterpart held a high-stakes meeting in Alaska, aiming to end the war. However, the meeting did not yield any breakthrough; it created a chance for negotiations.
As per a report by news agency Reuters, Trump said on Saturday, Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". According to the report, after hosting the summit, Putin was reported to have demanded more Ukrainian land. In a subsequent briefing with Zelenskyy, a source familiar with the discussion cited Trump as saying the Russian leader had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv's forces ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets. Zelenskyy rejected the demand, the source said.
(With inputs from agency)