Washington DC - President Donald Trump raised hopes of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia Monday as he gave President Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Leaked draft for upcoming MAHA report shows RFK Jr. loosening stance on pesticides

Melania Trump Melania Trump accused of using AI to write "deeply moving" letter to Putin

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

"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 Zelensky.

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

"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.

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

Trump even complimented Zelensky on his black jacket, after the Ukrainian was criticized 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 Zelensky's outfit as they shook hands on the Ukrainian president's arrival at the West Wing.

Donald Trump Trump claims Putin agrees with his 2020 "stolen election" theory: "You won that election by so much!"

Politicians Gavin Newsom unveils redrawn California district map while mocking Trump's "tiny hands"

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 Zelensky pushing for Western security guarantees to back up any peace deal with Russia, Trump said the US 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 on Monday, AFP journalists heard, just as European leaders were arriving at the White House. Russian strikes overnight killed at least seven people.