Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House on 18 August dressed in an all-black suit and open-collar shirt for renewed talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on ending Russia’s invasion. The wardrobe shift—his first formal attire at the White House since the war began—prompted reporter Brian Glenn, who had criticised his military garb in February, to remark that Zelenskyy looked “fabulous.” Trump agreed, while Zelenskyy quipped that the journalist was “in the same suit,” drawing laughter in the Oval Office. The light-hearted exchange contrasted sharply with the leaders’ previous meeting six months earlier, when criticism of Zelenskyy’s casual dress escalated into a heated argument and the Ukrainian president was escorted out early. Zelenskyy has typically worn military-style clothing to signal solidarity with troops, but aides said the change in appearance aimed to avoid distractions during high-stakes diplomacy. Monday’s session forms part of a broader effort—backed by several visiting European leaders—to pressure Kyiv and Moscow toward a negotiated settlement in what analysts call Europe’s deadliest conflict in eight decades. Trump, fresh from an inconclusive meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, has urged Ukraine to consider territorial concessions, while Zelenskyy continues to seek U.S. security guarantees and accelerated weapons deliveries. Although no breakthroughs were announced, the convivial tone suggested both sides were eager to reset relations after February’s public rift.