Trump Discusses White House Ballroom During Zelensky Meeting at UNGA - Newsweek
President Donald Trump largely dominated a short briefing in New York City to reporters Tuesday before his one-on-one meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), saying he wished the controversial ballroom could be completed before his next meeting with China's president.
Both the Ukrainian and American presidents, who have had a somewhat mixed relationship over the past 19 months, said they both wanted to find a solution to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, if possible before the winter.
Trump took multiple questions on issues unrelated to Ukraine, including his upcoming visit from Xi and his wish for the White House ballroom to have been completed before the state visit.
"He likes China, I like the U.S., that's the way it is, but it's a big deal tomorrow night, everybody wants to be there," Trump said. "I wish we had the ballroom. If we had the ballroom, we could have 2,000 people."
Ahead of their private meeting, Trump said he and Zelensky enjoyed a good relationship, as they try to figure out "a solution" to the conflict with Russia.
"The relationship is very strong," Trump added, while his Ukrainian counterpart thanked him for his ongoing support, as well as Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who were in the room, for their work on negotiations.
Zelensky said he believed there would be a solution of some kind reached before the winter, with Trump saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was also involved.
"I think something is going to happen," Trump said.
Zelensky, for his part, said very little during the short media appearance, with Trump saying more could have been discussed if the briefing happened after the pair had spoken.
When the Ukrainian president visited the White House last year, tensions grew with the Trump administration, with Vice President JD Vance telling Zelensky he should be thanking Trump for his efforts to end the war. His outfit choice was also criticized, as he had largely opted to not wear suits since the start of the conflict.
Trump was asked about the concerns across Europe, including in the United Kingdom, about the potential for direct conflict between Russia and their nations.
Trump said, "I think it will be OK," adding that he felt the U.K. needed to be careful in how it approached the situation.
He also addressed calls for a ban on diesel exports, amid rising costs due to strikes in Eastern Europe and the ongoing war in Iran. Trump said the situation needed to be handled carefully to avoid a ripple effect. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the idea was being examined.
Work is still underway to construct the new White House ballroom, after the U.S. Supreme Court granted the administration permission to continue following legal challenges.
Trump told reporters the ballroom was under budget and ahead of schedule Tuesday, something he has said repeatedly during the project despite reports of rising costs.
The ballroom is taking the place of the old East Wing, which was demolished over a couple of days in October 2025.
The president has long argued that the White House needed a ballroom of some kind, particularly for state visits, as major events often required temporary construction on the White House lawn in order to facilitate large gatherings.
Critics have argued that the Trump administration did not go through the proper channels to get the project approved, and had moved quickly to demolish the East Wing to avoid scrutiny.
Trump is set to host Xi in Washington, D.C., later this week, with the two leaders expected to seek to build up their relationship and wider U.S.-China relations, amid ongoing tensions over trade.
Xi is expected to arrive Thursday, more than a decade after his last state visit to the White House. Instead of the state dinner being held in the new ballroom, it will take place in the East Room, the White House said.
Newsweekβs reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas
