Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, marking a dramatic shift in her stance on the war. The meeting came just days after Loomer publicly apologized for her years of outspoken criticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine and what she had described as the country's government.
Loomer, who has frequently used her platform to attack American military support for Ukraine and has accused Kyiv of harboring Nazi sympathizers, reversed course after experiencing air raid sirens firsthand during a visit to the war-torn nation. “Just experienced my first air raid in Ukraine,” she wrote on X earlier this week. “I feel like such an a—— for minimizing the struggle of Ukrainians for the last 5 years. I often said I don’t care. Looking back, that wasn’t very nice of me to say.”
The apology came two days after a Russian strike on Kyiv killed six people, an attack that Loomer said changed her perspective. In a striking turn, she interviewed Zelensky on her Rumble show “Loomer Unleashed,” where she asked about his tense Oval Office meeting with Trump earlier this year and the current state of their relationship. Zelensky told Loomer that a brief encounter at the Vatican helped repair ties. “It was a historic moment, because we changed the relations during 15, 20 minutes,” he said.
Trump appeared to endorse Loomer’s meeting, posting clips of the interview on social media with the comment “Very good!!!” The former president has previously been skeptical of continued Ukraine aid, but his recent approval of Patriot missile production licenses for Kyiv signaled a potential policy shift. For more on how Ukraine is pressing its advantage, read about Ukraine's asymmetric campaign that may decide the broader conflict.
Zelensky’s office praised Loomer’s visit and her change of heart, with a statement on X saying, “It takes courage to come to Ukraine and not be deterred by Russian propaganda or air raid sirens. Thank you, Laura.” The office noted that she met with senior Ukrainian officials, including First Deputy Head of the Office of the President Sergiy Kyslytsya.
Loomer’s reversal is a notable development in the polarized debate over U.S. support for Ukraine. She had previously accused the Ukrainian government of supporting jihadists and being “full of Nazi apologists,” rhetoric that aligned with some far-right circles. Her shift comes as a House vote overwhelmingly defeated an amendment to cut Ukraine security aid, reflecting continued bipartisan support for Kyiv despite some Republican opposition.
For more context on Ukraine’s strategy to grind down Russian forces, see how Ukraine's attrition strategy is shifting war dynamics against Moscow. And as the war drags on, the Trump administration’s move to license Patriot missile production in Ukraine underscores a deepening commitment, even as some allies remain skeptical of long-term U.S. involvement.
