WASHINGTON — President Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Tuesday for nearly an hour, as the two leaders discussed faltering peace efforts with Russia and Kyiv’s appeal for additional U.S. military support.
Zelensky, wearing a black suit without a tie, entered and left the West Wing through a side entrance and did not take questions from reporters. Their Oval Office conversation was also held away from the cameras.
The meeting reflected a thaw in relations between Trump and Zelensky after a turbulent beginning, including a tense February 2025 exchange in front of reporters that also involved Vice President JD Vance.
Vance did not attend Tuesday’s White House talks, opting instead to go to the Capitol for a ceremony honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Trump and Zelensky are both expected to attend Graham’s funeral Tuesday afternoon at Washington National Cathedral.
Graham had traveled to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky the day before his death and had been urging fellow lawmakers to approve tougher sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
