Zelensky Gives Trump a Golf Club From Wounded Ukrainian Soldier as Symbol of Peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the DC Summit handed Donald Trump a symbolic gift – a golf club. It was a gift passed to Zelensky to give to the US president by a Ukrainian servicemember, Junior Sergeant (US equivalent: PFC, A1C, E-3) Kostiantyn Kartavtsev.

As reported by the Presidential Office press service, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) soldier lost his leg in the first months of the Russian full-scale invasion while saving his comrades. Golf became part of Konstantin Kartavtsev’s rehabilitation and helped him regain his balance, both physical and emotional.

Zekensky also showed a video in which Konstantin Kartavtsev asks the US president to help Ukraine end the war with a just and lasting peace.

Trump accepted the gift and recorded a video message with gratitude to the Ukrainian defender. In response, the US leader presented Zelensky with symbolic keys to the White House.

This followed Monday’s meeting between Trump and Zelensky in the White House.

Trump said Russia has agreed to accept security guarantees for Ukraine during a televised meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European partners at the White House after holding one-on-one meetings with Zelensky Monday and Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Finnish PM Alexander Stubb attended the unprecedented historic gathering in Washington on Monday.

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US Plans to Slash Fighter Jets, Warships to NATO in Europe: Report

The United States plans to significantly scale back its military contribution to NATO in Europe, including cutting fighter jet deployments by a third and withdrawing aerial refueling tankers, according to the New York Times. Additional assets, including warships and bombers, could be reassigned as Washington pushes European allies to assume greater responsibility for conventional defense. The reported changes come ahead of a crucial NATO summit in July.

“Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine, and this is one of the key points that we need to consider,” Trump said.

“I’m optimistic that we can reach an agreement that would deter any future aggression against Ukraine.”

“And I actually think there won’t be,” he added. “It’s largely overrated, but we’re going to find out.”

Security guarantees have been one of Kyiv’s requirements for peace since peace negotiations began, but the White House has regularly questioned the need for guarantees if Ukraine has US support.