Trump Ally Laura Loomer Meets Zelensky In Striking Reversal On Ukraine War

Laura Loomer, a staunch state of President Donald Trump known for her incendiary social media commentary, held a gathering pinch Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky connected Thursday, pursuing a important displacement successful her stance connected nan conflict that could person governmental implications successful Washington.

For years, Loomer had downplayed Russia's penetration of Ukraine and disseminated Russian propaganda to her astir 2 cardinal followers. However, this week marked a notable alteration of bosom for nan activist.

"Just knowledgeable my first aerial ambush successful Ukraine. Sirens blaring. This is mundane for each Ukrainian," Loomer posted connected X. "I often said I don’t care. Looking back, that wasn’t very bully of maine to say."

This represents a striking reversal for Loomer, who had antecedently spent years criticizing U.S. support for Ukraine's defense, labeling nan federation "a state afloat of Nazi apologists" — a declare Russia has utilized to warrant its prolonged penetration — and asserting it was "led by a Jihadi apologist."

The skepticism of Ukraine has been shared by different precocious floor plan blimpish influencers, including erstwhile Fox News big Tucker Carlson.

The gathering pinch Zelenskyy was confirmed by Dmytro Lytvyn, a spokesperson for nan president, who said that nary Ukrainian authorities institution had organized nan visit. He added that Zelenskyy's agency first learned that Loomer was successful Ukraine done societal media.

“It is really important that @LauraLoomer is successful Ukraine and sees things pinch her ain eyes arsenic they are,” Zelenskyy's agency had written Tuesday.

“It takes courageousness to travel to Ukraine and not beryllium deterred by Russian propaganda aliases aerial ambush sirens. Thank you, Laura," they added Thursday.

Loomer did not respond to a petition for comment.

In summation to nan gathering pinch Zelenskyy, Loomer besides visited nan Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, 1 of nan country’s astir important belief landmarks, which came nether Russian onslaught past month.

The onslaught connected nan monastic analyzable of aureate domes successful nan bosom of Kyiv, which is besides known arsenic nan Monastery of nan Caves, sparked a occurrence that caused important interior and exterior damage, according to UNESCO. Zelenskyy had called it Moscow’s “biggest crime yet against Christian culture.”

Russia denied work for nan attack, claiming, without offering evidence, that nan analyzable was deed by 1 of Ukraine’s U.S.-made Patriot aerial defense missiles — saying that it mightiness person veered disconnected people owed to its age.

In a video recorded from wrong nan church, Loomer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy by portraying Russia arsenic pro-Christian.

“I conscionable don’t deliberation that you should beryllium allowed to opportunity that you’re protecting Christianity if you’re trying to drone onslaught Jesus Christ," she said.

Sergiy Kyslytsya and Tetyana Berezhna, 2 apical Ukrainian officials, were among those who met pinch Loomer and joined her for nan visit.

The White House did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected nan trip.