Here’s what Trump was given.
President Donald Trump just received one of the most unusual gifts ever presented in the Oval Office — and it came straight from the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House this week carrying a gift from Junior Sgt. Kostyantyn Kartavtsev, a Ukrainian soldier who lost his leg fighting Russian forces. The gift? An engraved golf putter with the words: “Let’s putt peace together!”
A Soldier’s Message Straight To Trump
In a powerful video message, Kartavtsev told President Trump:
“I am one of those soldiers you’ve spoken about — we are courageous and strong. I lost a leg saving my men, but I found recovery through golf.”
The veteran now plays the game on a prosthetic leg through the United By Golf rehabilitation program, which helps wounded soldiers regain both physical strength and emotional stability.
“Golf gave me peace,” Kartavtsev explained. “It took me into the fresh air, helped me breathe again, and gave me a path to healing.”
Trump’s Emotional Response
President Trump, known for his lifelong love of golf, was clearly touched by the soldier’s story and the symbolic gift.
“I know golf, and your swing is beautiful,” Trump replied. “This putter is incredible. Every time I sink a putt, I’ll be thinking of you.”
Trump praised Kartavtsev as a hero and called Ukraine “a great country” that deserves peace and stability. He also noted that Zelensky is “working very, very hard to make it that way.”
A Message of “Peace Through Strength”
Kartavtsev asked Zelensky to deliver the putter personally, telling Trump: “I give you my putter not as an athlete, but as a warrior who dreams of peace through strength.”
That phrase, first championed by Ronald Reagan and now often repeated by Trump, has become a central theme in U.S. foreign policy debates.
The United By Golf community later released a statement thanking President Trump: “We are grateful for his leadership on the path to peace for Ukraine and for his kind words to our brother-in-arms.”