Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was seen entering the NATO conference at the Hague today wearing a suit.
Zelensky wore a black jacket, black undershirt, black slacks, and black combat boots. He met with US President Donald Trump for approximately 50 minutes in what the Ukrainian leader described as a “long and substantive meeting.”
The Ukrainian leader’s iconic military-style clothing has been a token of solidarity with frontline Ukrainian troops, but drew criticism earlier this year during the infamous Feb. 28 Oval Office argument between Trump and Zelensky.
An American reporter asked Zelensky: “Why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit?”
“I will wear a costume [from Ukrainian, meaning suit] after this war finishes, Yes. Maybe something like yours, yes, maybe something better. I don’t know, we will see. Maybe something cheaper. Thank you.” Zelensky replied to the reporter.
Zelensky may have worn the suit to avoid a similar confrontation with the Trump administration at the NATO summit.
The change in apparel by Zelensky marks his first appearance in a suit at a NATO conference, but not the first time he has worn a suit jacket since the start of the full-scale war.
The Ukrainian leader also wore a suit jacket – presumably the same he wore on Wednesday – when meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday in London to discuss military cooperation and joint drone production ahead of this week’s NATO summit.
Zelensky was also seen wearing a black, semi-formal jacket during his meeting with Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on April 26, his first meeting with Trump since the Oval Office debacle.
He wore the same outfit in a May 28 meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.