Suited And Full Of Praise, Ukraine And Allies Woo Trump Away From Putin

KYIV, Ukraine — What a quality a suit makes.

After his February fiasco successful nan Oval Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "fabulous" manner decision — arsenic good arsenic nan play club, individual missive and supportive European leaders he brought pinch him — look to person helped shift nan temper of his high-level White House talks connected bid pinch Russia.

While nan Kremlin publically smarted, a consciousness of alleviation swept done Ukraine and crossed Europe aft nan acme pinch President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy hailed it Tuesday arsenic “a genuinely important step” toward ending nan war.

That optimism was acknowledgment astatine slightest successful portion to nan reside group by nan Ukrainian leader's presence successful a blazer-style overgarment and collared shirt, a departure from his trademark subject garb.

A fixation connected attire mightiness look trivial fixed nan stakes arsenic nan world leaders gathered to talk ending the brutal conflict, but style mattered here.

For Europe’s leaders, nan gathering was astir optics arsenic overmuch arsenic substance: A chance to undo immoderate crushed Russian President Vladimir Putin whitethorn person gained pinch Trump successful Alaska past week.

“I emotion it,” Trump said arsenic he greeted Zelenskyy, nary uncertainty sparking a sigh of alleviation from nan suited gaggle of European heads of authorities who had flown successful wished to debar a repetition of February's bust-up, erstwhile Zelenskyy was lambasted for not wearing a suit and accused of disrespecting nan White House.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, foreground right, lead European leaders successful nan Cross Hall of nan White House, connected Monday.Aaron Schwartz / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Zelenskyy had intelligibly adjusted his attack to diplomacy beyond his outfit, opening pinch a flurry of 11 “thank yous” successful 4 and a half minutes, a striking opposition pinch February erstwhile he was branded ungrateful.

The Ukrainian leader forged family ties, handing his big a missive from Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska to beryllium delivered to American First Lady Melania Trump. Zelenskyy besides presented Trump pinch a play club, a gift passed connected to him by a wounded Ukrainian soldier.

"You look fabulous successful that suit," said nan newsman who primitively took Zelenskyy to task astir his outfit successful February.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky hands a missive from his woman to President Donald Trump during a gathering successful nan Oval Office connected Monday.Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

Zelenskyy himself didn’t time off quiet handed. Trump handed him “symbolic keys to nan White House,” nan Ukrainian president’s agency said successful a connection Tuesday.

He was not unsocial successful moving to woo nan American leader moreover arsenic nan chat turned to nan knotty specifications of ceasefires and information guarantees.

It was nary mishap nan European contingent included figures pinch reputations for charming Trump, a delegation curated to curry favour who took each opportunity to ablution Trump pinch praise for his efforts to break nan deadlock pinch Moscow.

“Something has changed acknowledgment to you,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “I really want to convey you for your leadership,” opined NATO main Mark Rutte.

The constituent of nan talks remains murky, but Trump refrained from blaming Europe and appeared to bask nan onslaught of flattery while moreover offering immoderate successful return.

He complimented German Chancellor Friedrich Merz connected his tan and showed disconnected a support of MAGA hats to Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky airs for a image pinch European leaders pursuing a gathering successful nan Oval Office connected Monday.Win McNamee / Getty Images

And nan spectacle did not spell unnoticed successful Moscow.

Newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets said European leaders had begun negotiations pinch “outright bootlicking,” while outlet Argumenty said Zelenskyy had “humiliated” himself successful nan White House.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev scoffed that Europe had “thanked and sucked up” to Trump, while sneering astatine Zelenskyy's sartorial choice. "The mobility is which tune nan Kiev comedian will play astir guarantees & territories backmost home, erstwhile he’s put connected his greenish subject azygous again," he said.

In his ain evident effort astatine flattery, Medvedev opined that Europe’s leaders had “failed to outplay” Trump.

In Ukraine, however, nan temper was positive.

“This information of talks was won by Ukraine and its friends outright,” Serhii Kosiianchuk, a 39-year-old relationship head from Kyiv, told NBC News. He said he was “impressed” by nan meeting, adding that “previous mistakes” had been taken into account.

But nan theatre whitethorn person overshadowed nan thinness of actual results.

Welcoming nan opposition to nan "fiasco" of February, schematic designer Kateryna Gonchar, 38, was nevertheless cautious astir nan way forward. Zelenskyy had intelligibly worked pinch a ample squad "so arsenic not to annoy Trump moreover more, and to show that we are fresh to make definite concessions," she said.

Many analysts agreed.

Europe's leaders had "bent complete backwards to food up Trump," but nan warfare "doesn't look immoderate person to resolution," said Michael Bociurkiw, a elder chap astatine nan Atlantic Council deliberation tank.

"It’s very, very important to abstracted spectacles from facts and what’s really going connected on nan ground," he said successful a telephone interview, citing Russian attacks that killed 10 group successful Ukraine conscionable hours earlier nan Washington gathering and caller attacks early Tuesday.

President Donald Trump walks pinch Russian President Vladimir Putin astatine Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson connected Friday successful Anchorage, Alaska.Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

Trump said he intended nan adjacent measurement to beryllium a nonstop gathering betwixt Zelenskyy and Putin, while European leaders were group to reconvene later Tuesday.

They will attraction connected nan rumor of information guarantees, aft Trump's much affirmative reside offered origin for optimism but besides questions astir nan sacrifices Ukraine whitethorn person to make successful bid to unafraid them.