Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet today at the White House with President Trump, marking their first meeting since the Republicans took power.
Zelensky is expected to arrive at the White House this afternoon, and a joint press conference with Trump will follow.
Ahead of the visit, French media revealed a behind-the-scenes story showing the tense relationship between Trump and Zelensky.
According to these media, the American president considered canceling the meeting but was persuaded by French President Emmanuel Macron.
BFMTV, quoting a diplomatic source, claims that Trump’s team told Ukraine on Wednesday that the meeting would be canceled, prompting Zelensky to speak with Macron, who intervened on his behalf.
In the end, the invitation was reinstated, and Zelensky is expected to be at the White House later, but there will undoubtedly be a sense of nervousness not only until the meeting starts but also until it ends, with many potential issues that could disrupt the talks.
However, it is clear how Trump’s language toward Zelensky has changed after last night’s meeting with Starmer: from calling him a “dictator” previously, the Ukrainian leader was now praised by the American president.
