Trump ally Laura Loomer meets Zelenskyy after abandoning anti-Ukraine stance

A dramatic reversal

Loomer, 33, had long been one of the most vocal critics of Ukraine in Trump's orbit, calling the country corrupt and led by a "Jihadi apologist," and opposing all US military and financial aid. Her about-face began earlier this week when she posted a video from a Ukrainian train on Monday, with a message in Russian: "I'm not in Russia because I'm not a propagandist." On Tuesday, she described experiencing her first air raid alert in Kyiv, an event that prompted a striking public mea culpa.

This is every day for every Ukrainian, I feel like such an asshole for minimising the struggle of Ukrainians for the last five years.

She added that she and others had been "so propagandized by Russia" that they believed Ukraine was full of Nazi sympathizers. The posts, which she refused to delete, marked a clean break from years of echoing Kremlin talking points.

On the ground in Kyiv

Before meeting Zelenskyy, Loomer toured the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery with Sergiy Kyslytsya, first deputy head of the presidential office. The 1,000-year-old Orthodox site was struck by a Russian drone a month earlier, burning the roof of one cathedral. Loomer posted video from inside, calling it "absolutely gorgeous" and "incredible," while pointing out boarded windows in the dome.

Vladimir Putin constantly portrays Russia as some savior of Christianity... Well, if you care about Christianity so much, why would you drone a monastery?

Kyslytsya described the meeting as "interesting," noting they discussed the war and the monastery's significance. The visit underscored Loomer's rapid transformation from antagonist to advocate.

The Mariyinsky Palace meeting

On Thursday, Loomer sat down with Zelenskyy at the Mariyinsky Palace, the ceremonial presidential residence. The meeting was confirmed by presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn. Zelenskyy's office had earlier welcomed her visit, stating it was "really important that [Loomer] is in Ukraine and sees things with her own eyes as they are." No details of the discussion were released, but the encounter itself signals Kyiv's effort to cultivate voices within Trump's inner circle.

Loomer, who has no official government role, enjoys unusually close access to Trump, reportedly advising him on policy and personnel. She holds Pentagon press credentials and has claimed involvement in the detention of a British journalist critical of Israel. Her public embrace of Ukraine raises the question of whether she could shift opinion among the Maga base, which remains deeply sceptical of foreign aid.

A timeline of the visit

What it means for US-Ukraine ties

Trump and Zelenskyy have clashed repeatedly, but the US president recently praised Ukraine and announced last month that Kyiv would be allowed to manufacture Patriot air defence missiles. Loomer's conversion, and her meeting with Zelenskyy, may reinforce that warming trend. While it is unclear how much influence she wields, her reversal deprives anti-Ukraine Republicans of a prominent voice and gives Kyiv a direct line to a president who values loyalty and personal connections.

The meeting also highlights Ukraine's persistent campaign to win over American conservatives, using personal visits and battlefield realities to counter Russian disinformation. For Loomer, the trip was a personal reckoning. "I did say these things about Ukraine and Zelenskyy and I am not deleting my posts because I've realized, I was wrong," she wrote.