Laura Loomer, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump known for her incendiary social media commentary, held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, following a significant shift in her stance on the conflict that could have political implications in Washington.
For years, Loomer had downplayed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and disseminated Russian propaganda to her nearly two million followers. However, this week marked a notable change of heart for the activist.
“Just experienced my first air raid in Ukraine. Sirens blaring. This is everyday for every Ukrainian,” Loomer posted on X. “I often said I don’t care. Looking back, that wasn’t very nice of me to say.”
This represents a striking reversal for Loomer, who had previously spent years criticizing U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense, labeling the nation “a country full of Nazi apologists” — a claim Russia has used to justify its prolonged invasion — and asserting it was “led by a Jihadi apologist.”
The skepticism of Ukraine has been shared by other high profile conservative influencers, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
The meeting with Zelenskyy was confirmed by Dmytro Lytvyn, a spokesperson for the president, who said that no Ukrainian government institution had organized the visit. He added that Zelenskyy’s office first learned that Loomer was in Ukraine through social media.
“It is really important that @LauraLoomer is in Ukraine and sees things with her own eyes as they are,” Zelenskyy’s office had written Tuesday.
“It takes courage to come to Ukraine and not be deterred by Russian propaganda or air raid sirens. Thank you, Laura,” they added Thursday.
Loomer did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to the meeting with Zelenskyy, Loomer also visited the Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of the country’s most significant religious landmarks, which came under Russian attack last month.
The attack on the monastic complex of golden domes in the heart of Kyiv, which is also known as the Monastery of the Caves, sparked a fire that caused significant interior and exterior damage, according to UNESCO. Zelenskyy had called it Moscow’s “biggest crime yet against Christian culture.”
Russia denied responsibility for the attack, claiming, without offering evidence, that the complex was hit by one of Ukraine’s U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles — saying that it might have veered off course due to its age.
In a video recorded from inside the church, Loomer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy by portraying Russia as pro-Christian.
“I just don’t think that you should be allowed to say that you’re protecting Christianity if you’re trying to drone strike Jesus Christ,” she said.
Sergiy Kyslytsya and Tetyana Berezhna, two top Ukrainian officials, were among those who met with Loomer and joined her for the visit.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trip.
