Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave US counterpart Donald Trump a golf club during his visit to Washington this week that had belonged to a serviceman fighting Russia’s invasion, Kyiv said Tuesday.
Trump, an avid golfer who owns several courses, accepted the gift and presented Zelensky with symbolic keys to the White House in return, the Ukrainian leader’s office said.
The warm exchange marks a stark turnaround from February, when Zelensky left the White House early following a televised shouting match with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance.
Since that tense encounter, Zelensky has sought to repair ties, flattering Trump in public appearances and praising his efforts to secure peace.
“The president of Ukraine presented the president of the United States with a golf club,” Zelensky’s office said Tuesday.
The club previously 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”, the office said.
Zelensky showed Trump a video of Kartavtsev, it said.
Later on Tuesday, Ukrainian veteran organisation United by Golf published a video of Trump holding the golf club and thanking Kartavtsev.
“I just watched your swing. I know a lot about golf and your swing is great,” Trump said in the video.
“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,” he added.
Zelensky also brought a letter for Melania Trump from his wife Olena thanking the US first lady for writing to Russian President Vladimir Putin and urging him to save children’s lives.
Foreign leaders visiting the White House have been trying to woo Trump with various gifts.
In late February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought him an invite for an official visit with a letter signed by King Charles III.
AFP
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