Volodymyr Zelensky will return to the White House on Monday for a critical meeting with Donald Trump, six months after he was infamously told to leave the Oval Office by the US president.
While Trump’s furious rant at Zelensky dominated the headlines, the Ukrainian war leader was also criticised by the President and American journalists for his choice not to wear a suit.
“He is all dressed up today,” said Trump sarcastially as he shook Zelensky’s hand at the White House doorstep.
Later during the catastrophic press conference, right-wing journalist Brian Glenn asked: “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. Do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office.”
Zelensky retorted that he would wear a “costume” – the same word for “suit” in Ukrainian – once the war is over. Shortly afterwards, vice president JD Vance attacked him for being “disrespectful and ungrateful”.
Why doesn’t Zelensky wear a suit?
Zelensky has donned black, grey or khaki combat gear, and sweatshirts and polos with the Ukrainian national symbol since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Speaking to Politico, Elvira Gasanova, who designs the Damirli brand, one of Mr Zelensky’s signature looks, said the clothing “is a signal — ‘Ukraine is at war and I am part of this fight’”.
“The president shows that the war is still going on, that the country is still in a struggle,” she added.
“Manipulating dress requirements is an act of domination,” Ukrainian fashion historian Zoya Zvynyatskivsk told the outlet.
“Trump is a political bully, who does not disdain any opportunity to humiliate his opponent, to show him and the rest his place in the hierarchy.
“To paraphrase Churchill, if our man put on a tie to avoid public humiliation, he would receive the same humiliation — but in a tie. ‘Oh, I see you finally dressed like a man,’ Trump would say.”
What will Zelensky wear to the White House?
Trump had reportedly been offended by Zelensky’s decision to wear combat gear into the White House. But the Ukrainian president has no plans to wear a suit for Monday’s return to Washington DC, where he will this time be joined by European leaders in a show of unity following Trump’s in-person meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Zelensky will instead wear the same black jacket he wore to a June Nato summit in the Netherlands, which sources described as being “suit-style” but not a full suit.
Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Finland will be dressed in the standard suit attire upon arrival at the White House.
