During a meeting at the White House on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an effort to win over Donald Trump by presenting him with a golf club.
Trump, who is set to get his wish granted by the PGA Tour, was surprised by the symbolic gift, which came from Ukrainian servicemember Junior Sergeant (U.S. equivalent: PFC, A1C, E-3) Kostiantyn Kartavtsev. Kartavtsev lost his leg while saving his comrades during the initial months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Like Trump, whose frequent golf outings have cost taxpayers $71 million this year, golf has become a significant part of Kartavtsev’s life. The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) soldier took up the sport as part of his rehabilitation and to help him regain his physical and emotional balance.
According to the Presidential Office press service, Zelensky also showed a video in which Kartavtsev asks President Trump to assist Ukraine in ending the war with a fair and lasting peace.
After accepting the gift, the U.S. President reportedly recorded a video message of his own to send back to the Ukrainian defender. He then presented Zelensky with symbolic keys to the White House.
During a televised meeting with President Zelensky and several European partners at the White House, Trump confirmed that Russia had agreed to accept security guarantees for Ukraine, following his meetings with Putin last week.
French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer were among those in attendance for Monday’s meeting.
It marked the second occasion in a month that President Trump had encountered Starmer, having previously crossed paths with the UK PM during his recent multi-day trip to Scotland where he visited both his Aberdeen and Turnberry properties.
Trump had journeyed to Scotland to discuss trade relations and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, yet ultimately devoted most of his time to playing extensive rounds of golf. At his International Golf Links resort in Aberdeenshire, the 79-year-old even revealed the launch of a second course – his third in total across the nation.
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Trump’s latest Scottish expedition, however, also intensified speculation about his Turnberry venue potentially hosting golf’s most prestigious major championship once more in 2028.
Earlier this year, Starmer allegedly directed officials to engage in discussions with golf’s governing body regarding the Claret Jug’s return to Turnberry within three years.
Within 24 hours of arriving on UK territory, the U.S. President was also labeled “scummy” for violating protocol at the Turnberry course, sparking suggestions that he lacks genuine golf expertise.
Soon after, embarrassing footage of Trump delivering the most disastrous possible shot in golf reemerged. Captured in July 2023, the seasoned politician is seen preparing for a shot with several practice swings before finally hitting the ball on the third attempt – only for it to go as poorly as it possibly could have.
