Betting Market in Disarray Over Zelensky Suit That's Also Maybe Not a Suit
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A major crypto-currency prediction market placed the odds of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wearing a suit before the end of June at just 3 percent on Sunday, with confusion reigning over the Ukrainian leader's attire days after he appeared to don a suit-style outfit for a series of meetings with world leaders.
Polymarket, a platform that allows users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events using cryptocurrency, currently includes a market where users can place wagers on whether or not Zelensky will wear a suit before July.
It was intended to resolve based on whether the Ukrainian leader was photographed or videotaped wearing a suit between May 22 and June 30, 2025. It attracted over $12 million in volume, but instead of resolving cleanly, it has ignited a furious debate online and among bettors, despite international news coverage and Polymarket's own descriptions seemingly confirming the appearance of a suit.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives ahead of a formal dinner at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives ahead of a formal dinner at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
AP Photo/Markus Schreiber
Zelensky, attending the NATO summit in The Hague earlier this week, looked to choose a military-style yet formal blazer with a buttoned-up black shirt, including for his arrival to a formal dinner hosted by Dutch royalty on Tuesday.
He also appeared alongside world leaders in the Netherlands in a black utility-style collared jacket, a noticeable departure from his wardrobe choices prior to his now-infamous and disastrous White House meeting in February. Zelensky chose a similar jacket for a meeting with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London just ahead of the NATO summit.
The Polymarket chance of Zelensky wearing a suit by July jumped to 19 percent the day after the summit ended.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street in London, Monday, June 23, 2025.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street in London, Monday, June 23, 2025.
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
The Ukrainian president's outfit choices have drawn persistent attention and occasionally criticism, not least during his ill-fated trip to the Oval Office earlier this year.
Zelensky's team was repeatedly told by President Donald Trump's advisers that Zelensky should opt to swap out his typical khaki or black military dress when visiting the White House, Axios reported in late February, citing two sources with direct knowledge of the topic.
"He's all dressed up today," Trump told cameras as he greeted Zelensky at the White House. Zelensky arrived dressed all in black — but not in a suit.
Gathered with Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other senior administration officials, Zelensky was prodded by a reporter on why he had not donned a suit. The Ukrainian leader shoots back that he will wear a suit "after this war finishes."
From left, European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for photographers prior to a meeting on the sidelines of...
From left, European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for photographers prior to a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. More
AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
Zelensky typically wears military-style fatigues, or clothing boasting the Ukrainian trident, a nod to his role as a war-time leader showing solidarity with frontline troops, rather than a peace-time politician.
There is a "political message" in Zelensky's choices, reminding the world he is a president representing a country actively at war, said Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee and a member of Zelensky's Servant of the People party.
"Psychologically, the fact the President doesn't wear a suit might irritate only those who don't like Ukraine," Merezhko told Newsweek. "It's about them, not about what the President wears."
Zelensky's dress should depend on the situation, Merezhko said. "While the war continues, the President should somehow in his attire to emphasize that he is commander in chief," he said.
"In some rare cases he might wear a suit," but one adjusted to nod to the military, Merezhko added.
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