The best moments inside Trump’s big meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders

After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, President Donald Trump boasted that he had a “very good meeting” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in the White House on Monday.

Trump, who expressed that he would like to put an end to mass blood effusions in Eastern Europe, qualified Monday’s multilateral meetings “a very good early step for a war that has been going on for almost four years”.

In a social article of truth after the discussions, Trump wrote: “I had a very good meeting with distinguished guests” and that “everyone is very happy with the possibility of peace for Russia / Ukraine”.

Here are the five best dishes to remember from the president’s “big day” with European leaders.

1. Smile all around

The Monday summit marked a dramatic and notable change in the meeting of the now infamous oval office of Trump and vice-president JD Vance with Zelenskyy in February.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made gestures while US President Donald Trump reacts at a meeting at the White House Oval Office, in the midst of negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine in Washington, DC, August 18, 2025. (Reuters / Kevin Lamarque)

During this meeting, the leaders were photographed in a stormy argument on several subjects, of which Zelenskyy would not have been sufficiently grateful for American support.

On Monday, all the tension seemed to have disappeared. Trump and Zelenskyy were all smiles throughout the day, and the Ukrainian chief received a warm welcome from Trump’s office, notably Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the defense secretary Pete Hegseth.

Zelenskyy and European leaders appeared more comfortable with Trump throughout the day and took an optimistic tone. After the meetings, the president of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, posted on X, “we are here, as ally and friends, for peace in Ukraine and Europe. It is an important moment, while we continue to work on solid security guarantees for Ukraine and lasting and lasting peace.”

2. Upgrade of the wardrobe

Another change marked compared to February was Zelenskyy who breaks his brand combination outfit to wear a costume, which he even joked with the press while sitting in the oval office with Trump.

Zelenskyy, who was criticized for having won casual outfits at meetings with world leaders, wore entirely black outfits, including a buttoned shirt and jacket.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is greeted by US President Donald Trump when he arrived at the western wing of the White House in Washington, DC, August 18, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP) Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images)

“First of all … President Zelensky, you seem fabulous in this costume,” a journalist said in Zelenskyy after sitting with Trump in the oval office.

“You look good,” said the journalist before Trump adds, “I said the same thing.”

At another time during the bilateral press meeting of Zelenskyy-Trump, the Ukrainian president annoyed a journalist for having carried the same costume he had in February.

“You are in the same costume. You see, I have changed, you are not,” joked Zelenskyy while he and Trump laugh.

3. Ceal not necessary

On a more substantial note, Trump doubled in his position that a ceasefire is “not necessary” to negotiate a permanent peace between Ukraine and Russia. He cited his recent successes in the negotiation of peace agreements between other countries around the world.

“I don’t think you need to stop. You know, if you look at the six offers that I have settled this year, they were all at war,” Trump said at his press conference with Zelenskyy.

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President Donald Trump and European leaders meet for a multilateral meeting at the White House on August 18, 2025. (Reuters / Alexander Draco)

“I did not cease the fever,” he continued, adding, “and I know that it could be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why, you know, one country or the other did not want it.”

In a rare moment of the day, Trump clashed with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the need for a cease-fire.

Speaking with Trump and other leaders gathered around a large conference table at the White House, Merz said: “To be honest, we would all like to see a ceasefire at the latest from the next meeting,” adding: “I cannot imagine that the next meeting will constantly take place. So, let’s work on it.”

He urged the leaders: “Let us try to put pressure on Russia, because the credibility of this effort, these efforts that we undertake today depends, at least, on a cease-fire from the start of serious negotiations from the next step. So, I would like to emphasize this aspect and I would like to see a cease-fire of the next meeting, which should be a trileuse meeting everywhere.”

In response, Trump retaliated that he was determined “to go directly to a peace agreement” constantly, saying: “Well, we will let the president (Zelenskyy) go talk to the president (Putin), and we will see how it works.”

The secretary general of NATO Vance Trump with Zelenskyy, the leaders of the EU: “ very successful day ”

The smoke rises on the kyiv horizon after a Russian attack on Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP photo / Evgeniy Maloletka)

4. UNIE European Front

In addition to Zelenskyy, seven major European leaders were present in the White House on Monday, a rare occurrence reporting a UNA European front and something that Trump called an “honor” for the United States

This follows Zelenskyy doubled on Sunday that Ukraine will not accept to give in Crimea or one of its territories in Russia as part of a peace agreement.

“Since the territorial question is so important, it should only be discussed by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia to the trilalaterals (talks with) Ukraine, United States, Russia,” said Zelenskyy.

Trump said that the United States was involved in providing Ukraine security guarantees after the end of the war, he said that in the future, Europe was to take a large part of this “burden”.

“I think European nations will take a lot of burdens,” said Trump. “We will help them, and we will make it very secure. We must also discuss the exchanges of possible territories, taking into account the current contact line.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe is aware that it will assume a large part of the weight of responsibility linked to various security guarantees – and recognized that it was necessary to preserve the security of each respective country.

“Historical meeting”: World leaders unite in the hope of ending the Russian-Ukraine War

President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte and the president of the European Commission Ursula Leyen poses for a family photo. House in Washington, August 18, 2025. (Alexander Drago / Reuters)

“In order to have such a long peace for Ukraine and for the whole continent, we need security guarantees,” said Macron. “And the first is clearly a credible Ukrainian army. For the years and decades to come. And the second is our own commitments. We all … You can be sure that Europeans are very lucid about the fact that they have their right part in the security guarantees for Ukraine, but their own security is clearly involved in this situation.”

5. Putin on the line

Trump shared that he called Putin after the meetings and that there is already movement in the next stage, that is to say to plan a meeting between Zelenskyy and the Russian president. After this meeting, Trump said that there would be a trilateral meeting between Zelenskyy, Putin and himself.

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US President Donald Trump speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while they come together to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine, at the joint Elmendorf-Richardson base in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025. (Reuters / Kevin Lamarque)

“At the end of the meetings, I called President Putin, and I started the provisions of a meeting, in a place to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After this meeting, we will have a trilat, who would be the two presidents, and myself,” wrote Trump.

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In another article, Trump described the summit as “big day at the White House”.

“We have never had so many European leaders here at the same time. A great honor for America !!!” He wrote. “Let’s see what will be the results ???”

Diana Stancy of Fox News Digital, Emma Colton and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.