Laura Loomer, a Trump ally with a reputation for incendiary social media commentary, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv, marking a dramatic reversal of her years-long criticism of Ukraine and U.S. support for its defense against Russia.
Loomer had spent years amplifying Russian propaganda to her nearly 2 million followers, declaring Ukraine “a country full of Nazi apologists” and calling Zelenskyy a “Jihadi apologist”—claims Russia has used to justify its invasion. The shift came after she visited the country this week and experienced an air raid firsthand, witnessing evidence of Russian atrocities.
During her first day in Ukraine, Loomer viewed photographs of priests killed by Russian forces in Bucha and visited a mass grave where victims of Russia’s alleged war crimes had been placed. She also spoke with officials rescuing prisoners of war and saw photos of Ukrainian soldiers with swastikas engraved into their foreheads by Russian captors. “I feel like such an a–hole for minimizing the struggle of Ukrainians for the last 5 years,” she wrote on X after experiencing an air raid, with sirens blaring around her.
Loomer acknowledged she had been shaped by Russian disinformation. “We have been so propagandized by Russia, and we don’t even realize it,” she said, adding that she was “living in a media echo chamber.” She vowed not to delete her old tweets, saying she wanted to demonstrate the strength of Russia’s propaganda network and own up to her mistakes.
Zelenskyy’s office welcomed the visit, saying firsthand experience was the best cure for Russian misinformation. “It is really important that Laura Loomer is in Ukraine and sees things with her own eyes as they are,” the office wrote on X. “There is no better way to get informed opinion than through personal experience which allows one to deal with Russian propaganda.”
During the meeting at Mariinsky Palace, Loomer conducted an interview for her Rumble show, “Loomer Unleashed,” with no questions off limits. She asked Zelenskyy about his recent Oval Office confrontation with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who have both been vocal critics of continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy credited a brief conversation at the Vatican for improving relations, calling it a “historic moment, because we changed the relations during 15, 20 minutes.”
Loomer also visited the Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s most significant religious landmarks, which suffered severe damage in a Russian drone strike last month. In a video from inside the church, she accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy for claiming to protect Christianity while attacking religious sites. “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.
The reversal reflects broader tensions within the Republican Party over Ukraine policy. While traditional conservatives like former Vice President Mike Pence have supported aid to Ukraine, Trump’s MAGA base—including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson—has been skeptical. Loomer’s change of position suggests that direct exposure to the war’s reality can shift even deeply held positions shaped by misinformation.
Trump gave his approval of the meeting on social media, posting “Very good!!!” on Thursday evening. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the trip. According to a spokesperson for Zelenskyy, no Ukrainian government institution had organized the visit; the president’s office first learned Loomer was in Ukraine through social media.
Sources
- NBC News — confirmed the meeting between Loomer and Zelenskyy on July 24, 2026, details of her previous criticism of Ukraine, her experience of an air raid, the Vatican conversation, and Trump’s social media approval
- New York Post — reported her apology, the specific evidence she viewed in Bucha including photos of dead priests and mass graves, her quotes about Russian propaganda, and Zelenskyy’s office statement
- The Hill — documented her previous claims that Ukraine was “a country full of Nazi sympathizers”
- DataForSEO/Multiple outlets — confirmed her visit to Kyiv, her reversal on the war, and her admission of being influenced by Russian propaganda
