Laura Loomer meets Zelenskyy after shifting stance on Ukraine
Laura Loomer interviewed Volodymyr Zelenskyy after saying she was wrong to repeat Russian propaganda about Ukraine.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Far-right US activist Laura Loomer meets Zelenskyy after years of attacking Ukraine, a shift that puts a prominent Trump ally in direct contact with Kyiv’s leader. Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported that Loomer interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday for her show on Rumble.
Loomer told her nearly 2 million followers on X that she had been wrong to repeat Russian propaganda, according to the report. She also wrote that she did not care if Republicans opposed to Ukraine disowned her over the change.
In the same social media post, Loomer said those Republicans would come to see Russia as evil, accusing Moscow of funding Iran with weapons used to kill US soldiers and of calling for President Donald Trump’s assassination.
Why did Laura Loomer meet Zelenskyy?
Zelenskyy’s office welcomed Loomer’s trip, saying Tuesday that it was “really important” for her to be in Ukraine and see the situation herself, according to Al Jazeera and AP. Loomer said the meeting included an interview for her programme on Rumble, the social media platform where she hosts her show.
The meeting marks a turn for Loomer, who had long opposed US backing for Kyiv. Al Jazeera and AP reported that she previously described Ukraine as corrupt and full of “Nazi apologists,” echoing an accusation Russia used to justify its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Loomer had also called Zelenskyy a “Jihadi apologist” because he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to the report.
Loomer’s profile in Trump’s orbit
Loomer has no official position in the Trump administration, but US media reports cited by Al Jazeera and AP describe her as having a close personal relationship with the president. She received Pentagon press credentials last year.
She is known for anti-Muslim statements and has described herself as a “proud Islamophobe,” according to the report. Al Jazeera and AP said she has frequently attacked Islam and Muslim public figures online, and has strongly supported Israel and Trump’s deportation policies.
After two gunmen killed three people at a mosque in San Diego in May, Loomer called for immigration authorities to investigate the Islamic centre that had been targeted, according to the report. She also called for all Muslims to be deported from the United States and described them as an “invasive species.”
Al Jazeera and AP reported that Loomer claimed a role in the October 2025 detention of British journalist Sami Hamdi, a critic of Israel’s war on Gaza, after his US visa was revoked. She wrote at the time: “You’re lucky his only fate is being arrested and deported.”
In April 2026, Loomer said she reported an Iranian national to the State Department for allegedly being the niece of the late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, leading to the revocation of the woman’s US residency, according to the report.
What it means for US-Ukraine politics
The meeting comes as Trump and parts of his political base have questioned US support for Ukraine, especially during President Joe Biden’s term, according to Al Jazeera and AP. The current administration has pushed for an end to the war.
Trump promised to stop the conflict on his first day in office, but his diplomacy has not produced a breakthrough. Al Jazeera and AP reported that those efforts have included several calls and meetings with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.