Zelenskyy gifts Trump golf club belonging to wounded Ukrainian soldier
Trump, a longtime golf enthusiast with several courses in his business portfolio, accepted the gift and in turn handed Zelenskyy symbolic keys to the White House. The exchange, according to Kyiv, reflected a markedly warmer tone compared to the leaders' strained meeting earlier this year.
Back in February, Zelenskyy cut short a visit to Washington after a heated argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance was broadcast live. Since then, the Ukrainian leader has worked to mend relations, often praising Trump's role in promoting peace efforts.
'The president of Ukraine presented the president of the United States with a golf club,' Zelenskyy's office said in its Tuesday statement.
The club once belonged to Kostiantyn Kartavtsev, a Ukrainian soldier who 'had lost a leg in the first months of Russia's full-scale invasion while saving his brothers-in-arms,' according to the statement. Zelenskyy also showed Trump a video message from Kartavtsev.
Later that day, the veterans' group United by Golf shared footage of Trump holding the club and addressing Kartavtsev directly.
'I just watched your swing. I know a lot about golf and your swing is great,' Trump said. 'You're an amazing person, and you just keep playing golf and doing all of the other things. Your country is a great country. We're trying to bring it back to health.'
Zelenskyy also delivered a personal note to Melania Trump from Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, who thanked her American counterpart for appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin to safeguard children's lives.
The gesture follows a series of symbolic gifts foreign leaders have offered Trump during White House visits. In February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented him with an invitation to the UK, accompanied by a letter from King Charles III.
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