US President Donald Trump has raised hopes of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia as he gave President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a friendly welcome for high-stakes talks at the White House.

The meeting is the first since an acrimonious row between the two men in the Oval Office in February, and comes just days after Trump held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Despite an apparent gulf over concessions that Trump has pushed Ukraine to make to Russia, the US leader said there was a “good chance” of ending the conflict sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He said he would be talking to Putin by telephone later today and hoped for a three-way meeting with the Kremlin leader and Zelenskyy.

“I think if everything works out well today we’ll have a trilat, and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that,” said Trump, sitting in the Oval alongside Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy, who came backed by a phalanx of top European leaders, praised Trump.

US President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Photo / Getty Images 

“Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war,” he said. 

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and the European Commission and Nato were at the White House in a show of support for Ukraine, as Trump pushed Kyiv to give up Crimea and abandon its goals of joining Nato. 

They were due to meet with Trump shortly. 

French President Emmanuel Macron is greeted by US Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley as he arrives at the White House. Photo / Getty Images 

‘I love it’ 

The atmosphere was far calmer than when Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy in front of TV cameras less than six months ago for not being “grateful” for US support. 

Trump even complimented Zelenskyy on his black jacket, after the Ukrainian was criticised by right-wing media because he failed to change his trademark war-leader’s outfit for a suit during the February visit. 

“I love it,” said Trump, pointing to Zelenskyy’s outfit as they shook hands on the Ukrainian President’s arrival at the West Wing. 

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House. Photo / Getty Images 

The lighthearted exchange, however, belied the fact that Kyiv and its allies had been fearful that Trump was, once again, pivoting towards Putin’s views following the Alaska summit. 

With Zelenskyy pushing for Western security guarantees to back up any peace deal with Russia, Trump said the United States would be “involved” in Ukraine’s future security. 

Trump, 79, would not say if US troops could help with such guarantees but said that “we’ll let you know that maybe later today”. 

Air raid sirens sounded over Kyiv today, AFP journalists heard, just as European leaders were arriving at the White House. Russian strikes overnight killed at least seven people. 

‘Peace through strength’ 

The European leaders held a preparatory meeting with the Ukrainian President in Washington on Monday morning, while Zelenskyy also met Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg. 

Zelenskyy described the talks at the White House as “very serious” and sought to flatter Trump by echoing his trademark “peace through strength” language. 

“President Trump has that strength. We have to do everything right to make peace happen,” he said. 

US President Donald Trump hosts a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and other European leaders at the White House. Photo / Getty Images

Zelenskyy called on social media for a “reliable and lasting peace for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe” and said they would discuss Western security guarantees for Ukraine. 

Reports had said Putin would be open to Western security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of any peace deal, but had ruled out Kyiv’s long-term ambition to join Nato. 

The US President had alarmed Kyiv and European capitals in recent days by repeating a number of Russian talking points. 

Trump earlier said that Zelenskyy could end the war “almost immediately, if he wants to” but that, for Ukraine, there was “no getting back” Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and “NO GOING INTO NATO”. 

Trump today reiterated that he does not think a ceasefire is necessary for negotiating an end to the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of its pro-Western neighbour in February 2022. 

– Danny Kemp, Agence France-Presse