Update1320: President Trump clearly appreciated that Zelensky actually showed up at the White House in a suit, in all black, after the Ukrainian delegation pulled up and quickly was welcomed into the White House.

Here's how RT presented one somewhat wild exchange during the opening press Q&A inside the Oval Office:

Reporter: Are you open to holding elections in your country?

Zelensky: Of course... *then lists every reason not to hold one*

Trump: So if we’re at war 3.5 years from now — no more elections? Room bursts into laughter

Clearly Zelensky didn't want to risk offending Trump before the high-stakes meeting - which also involves seven EU leaders - before it even started.

Ukraine's President Zelensky has arrived in Washington with an entourage of European leaders sizeable enough that one wonders where they will all fit within the Oval Office for the highly anticipated meeting with President Trump to talk Ukraine peace, after Friday's big - and controversial - Putin summit in Alaska.

No less than seven EU leaders are traveling to be there, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

"We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting," Zelensky stated while en route to Washington. "I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started."

The European leaders will no doubt show up wearing the appropriate attire, but will Zelensky be in a suit this time? The White House has actually requested it. "The White House asked Ukrainian officials if President Volodymyr Zelensky will wear a suit to his meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, two sources with direct knowledge tell Axios," Axios reports. If he doesn't this could possibly create subtle tensions from the beginning, and we know that the last Oval meeting involving Zelensky didn't go so well.

The hightly 'constructive' and positive meeting in Alaska resulted in Putin suggesting a tentative agreement had been reached after meeting with the US president, while Trump downplayed the outcome by reminding, "There’s no deal until there’s a deal." In a subsequent interview, Trump noted that any agreement would require Ukraine’s approval and said he would advise the Zelensky government to consider making a deal - and no doubt this caused the Europeans a sigh of relief.

Currently there remain mixed messages coming from within the Trump administration about how much progress is being made, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicating that a ceasefire is still on the table - and that compromises will have to be made by both sides, including on the area of territory.

Bloomberg in fresh analysis has pointed out that jumping straight into peace negotiations could benefit Putin by giving him time to improve his position on the battlefield and the ability to shift the blame to Zelensky if talks fall through. Sanctions would also be delayed, and the chances of new sanctions currently appear low. Zelensky and European leaders are expected to push back against this possibility - which would leave Putin in the driver's seat with little consequences - in their discussions with Trump.

Below are some likely outcome scenarios and fresh analysis via Bloomberg:

Bloomberg Trump-Zelensky meeting matrix on each side's desired outcomes:

"The bottom line is that a swift peace deal remains unlikely, given the gulf between Kyiv and Moscow," concludes Bloomberg. "The challenge for Zelenskiy and European leaders is to accommodate Trump’s push for a quick win, while avoiding a settlement deeply unfavorable to Ukraine and Europe’s security."

Delegations are expected arrive around midday, and several hours of meetings will follow. The schedule:

Below are more details and headline news stories related to Ukraine and Russia, and what to watch out for today, via Newsquawk:

MONDAY

US

UKRAINE

RUSSIA

EUROPE

And below is John Mearsheimer on the aftermath of the Alaska Summit:

The desired next step for Trump is to see Presidents Putin and Zelensky in the same room, to settle on a final deal to end the war in Ukraine, and reports have suggested Trump wants to make this happen as soon as Friday, but what happens Monday could be a large determining factor.