The scene is repeated. Before the meeting scheduled for Monday night (18.08.2025) at the Oval Office, US officials asked Kiev if the Volodimir Zelenski It will wear a suit. The incident may seem insignificant, but Axios recalls that in March the appearance of the Ukrainian president had caused a diplomatic episode. THE Donald Trump He had an ironically commented on his military clothing, detail that allegedly contributed to the failure of that meeting.
This time, according to Axios sources, Volodimir Zelenski will wear the same dark jacket he had chosen at the NATO meeting in the Netherlands in June. A more “conventional” appearance, without a tie, but approaching the costume codes that Donald Trump is waiting for. “He came as a normal man, not like crazy,” an American official had commented at the time.
When the tie becomes a political issue
Axios notes that some Trump associates would like to see Zelenski in full suit and tie, a symbol of seriousness for the US president. But the same sources assure that this will not happen. Vice President JD Vance was even more annoyed by Zelenski’s appearance at the previous meeting than Trump himself.
‘Truly, this is a day that is as unusual as it is important.’@Stone_Skynews reports from Washington, where key European leaders are gathering ahead of Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy.https://t.co/4CJX7usy8c
Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/gubaTC6gas
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 18, 2025
Behind the issue of the costume lies essentially Trump’s perception. “The right picture” is of great importance to him and his advisers acknowledge that Zelenski has improved the way he is addressed to the US president. “It’s no longer as bad as they used to,” one of them told Axios.
Zelenski’s appearance, writes Axios, had anyway contributes to February’s diplomatic fiasco.
A highly diplomatic risk meeting
According to Sky News, this meeting may prove even more explosive than that of February. Trump has now been aligned with many of Vladimir Putin’s basic demands: he no longer considers a ceasefire priority and is pushing Zelenski to grant the territories that Ukrainians have been defending for 11 years.
“It is a naive and dangerous attitude that ignores two self -evident truths: that the Russians are not credible and that the Ukrainians will not deliver land that has not been occupied,” Sky News underlined. This deviation opens an unprecedented gap in transatlantic relations, even if Europeans and Zelenski hope to bring Trump back to their own side.
War continues in the field
While the spotlight is turning to Washington, the war continues to rage. On the night of Sunday to Monday (August 17-18), Harkiv was hit by a Russian attack with ballistic missiles and drones. Seven civilians were killed, including an infant and a 16 -year -old teenager. Six more children are included in the injured.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a total of 140 drones during the night – the largest attack of its kind since August 4.