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WASHINGTON – It was an undignified spectacle all around.
As soon as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emerged out of his motorcade at the West Wing, President Donald Trump immediately took a dig at his sartorial choice.
Outfitted in a black sweatshirt featuring an embroidered Ukrainian trident, black slacks and boots, he was substantially underdressed in comparison to Trump, who was wearing a suit and tie.
“You’re all dressed up today,” Trump said sarcastically.
President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy got into a heated exchange during their meeting in the Oval Office.
It all quickly went downhill from there.
After a heated exchange in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy would later depart without signing an “economic partnership” deal he had travelled 5,000 miles to seal.
Zelenskyy, whose country was invaded by Russia three years ago, has been a known casual dresser.
He often favors olive green crewnecks with cargo pants and combat boots, a signal to the world that his country is still at war.
In December, he wore a similar outfit for the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris as well as for his meeting with then President-elect Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace.
During his tête-à-tête with Trump in the Oval Office, a member of the press asked him why he was not wearing a suit while visiting the “highest level” office in the country.
Since Russia invaded in February 2022, Zelenskyy has been the face of Ukrainian resistance, notably for his visibility online and his pleas to other countries for support. When Russian state media began spreading misinformation that Zelenskyy had fled Kyiv, Zelenskyy filmed himself in the streets of the capital saying that he would not leave Ukraine. He also declined the U.S. invitation to help him evacuate the city, saying “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”
“Why don’t you wear a suit?,” he said. “A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office.”
Zelenskyy said he’ll “wear the costume after the war is finished."
Then he told the reporter; “Maybe I’ll wear something like yours or something better,” he said, eliciting laughter. “Maybe something cheaper.”
Minutes later, the meeting devolved into a shouting match between Vice President JD Vance, Trump and Zelenskyy. The U.S. president and vice president accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for American support for Ukraine. The conversation became particularly charged when Trump accused the Ukrainian president of prolonging the war while being in a weak diplomatic position and using American resources.
“You don’t have the cards right now. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III,” Trump said. “What you're doing is very disrespectful to the country that's backed you.”
Soon after, a planned lunch and a bilateral meeting was canceled and Zelenskyy was seen leaving the White House.
The deal he had come to sign, giving America access to rare earths in his country, was left on the table. Trump has demanded access to rare minerals as a compensation for American military support.
"He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace," Trump said in a statement.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No suit, no lunch and one 'disrespectful' meeting
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