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

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

Trump, who has voiced he would like to put an end to mass bloodshed in Eastern Europe, called the multilateral meetings on Monday “a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”

In a Truth Social post after the discussions, Trump wrote, “I had a very good meeting with distinguished guests,” and that “everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.”

Here are the top five takeaways from the president’s “big day” with European leaders.

1. Smiles all around

Monday’s summit marked a dramatic and noticeable shift from Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s now-infamous Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy in February.

TRUMP SPARS WITH EUROPEAN LEADER DURING UKRAINE TALKS OVER KEY STEP TO PEACE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures as President Donald Trump reacts during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, Aug. 18, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

During that meeting, the leaders were caught on camera getting into a heated argument over several topics, including Zelenskyy allegedly not being sufficiently grateful for U.S. support.

On Monday, all the tension seemed to have disappeared. Both Trump and Zelenskyy were all smiles throughout the day, and the Ukrainian leader received a warm welcome from Trump’s Cabinet, including Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Both Zelenskyy and European leaders appeared more at ease with Trump throughout the day and took an optimistic tone. After the meetings, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X, “We are here, as allies and friends, for peace in Ukraine and in Europe. This is an important moment, as we continue to work on strong security guarantees for Ukraine and a lasting and durable peace.”

2. Wardrobe upgrade

Another marked shift from February was Zelenskyy breaking from his trademark jumpsuit attire to wear a suit, something he even joked with the press about while sitting in the Oval Office with Trump.

Zelenskyy, who has been criticized for wearing casual attire to meetings with world leaders, wore all-black attire, including a button-down shirt and jacket. 

TRUMP: ZELENSKYY MEETING NOT ‘END OF THE ROAD’ FOR US SUPPORT IN SECURING A PEACE DEAL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is greeted by President Donald Trump upon arrival at the White House on Aug. 18, 2025.  (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

“First of all… President Zelenskyy, you look fabulous in that suit,” a reporter told Zelenskyy after he sat down with Trump in the Oval Office. 

“You look good,” the reporter said before Trump added, “I said the same thing.” 

At another point during the Zelenskyy-Trump bilateral press meeting, the Ukrainian president ribbed a reporter for wearing the same suit he had in February.

“You’re in the same suit. You see, I changed, you’re not,” Zelenskyy quipped as both he and Trump burst into laughter.

3. Ceasefire not needed

On a more substantive note, Trump doubled down on his position that a ceasefire is “not needed” to broker a permanent peace between Ukraine and Russia. He cited his recent successes in negotiating peace agreements between other countries across the globe.

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

SENATE SIGNALS READINESS TO HIT RUSSIA WITH HARD SANCTIONS IF PEACE DEAL FAILS

President Donald Trump and European leaders gather for a multilateral meeting in the White House on Aug. 18, 2025. (Reuters/Alexander Drago)

“I didn’t do any ceasefires,” he went on, adding, “And I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why, you know, one country or the other wouldn’t want it.” 

In a rare tense moment during the day, Trump clashed with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the need for a ceasefire.

Speaking with Trump and other leaders gathered around a large conference table in the White House, Merz said, “To be honest, we all would like to see a ceasefire at the latest from the next meeting on,” adding, “I can’t imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire. So, let’s work on that.”

He urged the leaders, “Let’s try to put pressure on Russia, because the credibility of this effort, these efforts we are undertaking today are depending on, at least, a ceasefire from the beginning of the serious negotiations from the next step on. So, I would like to emphasize this aspect and would like to see a ceasefire from the next meeting, which should be a trilateral meeting wherever it takes place.”

In response, Trump shot back that he is determined “to go directly to a peace agreement” without a ceasefire, saying, “Well, we’re going to let the president [Zelenskyy] go over and talk to the president [Putin], and we’ll see how that works out.”

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL TOUTS TRUMP TALKS WITH ZELENSKYY, EU LEADERS: ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL DAY’

Smoke rises over the Kyiv skyline after a Russian attack on July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

4. United European front

In addition to Zelenskyy, seven major European leaders were present at the White House on Monday, a rare occurrence signaling a united European front and something Trump called an “honor” for the U.S.

This follows Zelenskyy doubling down on Sunday that Ukraine will not agree to cede Crimea or any of its territory to Russia as part of a peace deal.  

“Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at the trilateral [talks with] Ukraine, United States, Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump said that though the U.S. would be involved with providing Ukraine with security guarantees after the war’s end, he said going forward, Europe must take much of that “burden.”

“I think that the European nations are going to take a lot of the burden,” Trump said. “We’re going to help them, and we’re going to make it very secure. We also need to discuss the possible exchanges of territory, taking into consideration the current line of contact. That means the war zone, the war line center. Pretty obvious. Very sad, actually, to look at them and negotiating positions.”

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe is aware that it will shoulder much of the weight of responsibility tied to various security guarantees — and acknowledged it is necessary in order to preserve each respective country’s safety. 

‘HISTORIC MEETING’: GLOBAL LEADERS UNITE IN HOPES OF ENDING THE RUSSIA-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, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose amid negotiations at the White House, Aug. 18, 2025. (Alexander Drago/Reuters)

“In order to have such a long-standing peace for Ukraine and for the whole continent, we do need the security guarantees,” Macron said. “And the first one is clearly a credible Ukrainian army. For the years and decades to come. And the second one is our own commitments. All of us… You can be sure that the Europeans are very lucid about the fact that they have their fair share in the security guarantees for Ukraine, but their own security is clearly at stake in this situation.”

5. Putin on the line

Trump shared that he called Putin after the meetings and that there is already movement on the next step, that is, scheduling a meeting between Zelenskyy and the Russian president. After that meeting, Trump said there would then be a trilateral meeting between Zelenskyy, Putin and himself.

PUTIN STATES UKRAINE WAR WOULDN’T HAVE BEGUN IF TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT INSTEAD OF BIDEN: ‘CAN CONFIRM’

President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” wrote Trump.

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In another post, Trump called the summit “a big day at the White House.”

“We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time. A great honor for America!!!” he wrote. “Lets see what the results will be???” 

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