Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will once again forgo a traditional suit when he meets U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, instead opting for a military-style outfit, one of his designers told POLITICO.
Zelenskyy, who has worn army-toned sweatshirts, polos and military-style outfits in public appearances since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion three years ago, has previously been criticized by some MAGA Republicans for not dressing up to meet the U.S. president.
“This time the President [Zelenskyy] will be in a suit, but the style still remains in a military key with the same symbolism: he is the Head of State, which is at war,” said Elvira Gasanova, a Ukrainian businesswoman and designer of the Damirli brand that produces one of Zelenskyy’s signature looks.
“At the same time, it is important to emphasize that it is Volodymyr Zelenskyy who personally decides what to wear,” she added. “The President is now in a state where every detail matters — his appearance, mood, emotions. Therefore, as the Leader of Ukraine, he chooses the image that best suits his role and moment.”
Zelenskyy’s fashion choices, conveying solidarity with the Ukrainian armed forces and his war-ravaged country, have attracted both praise and criticism. When he visited the White House in February wearing a black polo emblazoned with the Ukrainian coat of arms, Trump greeted him by quipping sarcastically: “You’re all dressed up today.”
A reporter also took Zelenskyy to task during his tense Oval Office meeting with Trump. “Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re at the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit,” Brian Glenn from MAGA-friendly cable network Real America’s Voice demanded.
“I will wear costume after this war finishes, yes. Maybe something like yours, yes, maybe something better,” Zelenskyy retorted. (In Ukrainian, the word “suit” can be translated as “kostyum”.)
According to the Financial Times, Zelenskyy vowed in 2022 that he won’t go back to wearing a suit and tie and shaving his beard until Ukrainian victory in the war.
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