KYIV (AP) 鈥� , an ardent ally of President with a reputation for incendiary social media commentary, sat down with Ukrainian President on Thursday after a dramatic turnaround on the war that could have political reverberations back in Washington.
Loomer had spent years minimizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amplifying Russian propaganda to her nearly 2 million followers. This week she had a change of heart.
鈥淛ust experienced my first air raid in Ukraine. Sirens blaring. This is everyday for every Ukrainian,” Loomer during her visit to the country. 鈥淚 often said I don鈥檛 care. Looking back, that wasn鈥檛 very nice of me to say.鈥�
It was a stunning reversal for a woman who had spent years criticizing U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense, declaring it 鈥渁 country full of Nazi apologists鈥� 鈥� a claim used by Russia to justify its yearslong invasion 鈥� and 鈥渓ed by a Jihadi apologist.鈥�
The skepticism of Ukraine has been shared by other major conservative influencers, including former Fox 小萝莉影视 host Tucker Carlson. The issue became a between more traditional Republicans, like former Vice President Mike Pence, and Trump’s MAGA base. Vice President JD Vance was among the earliest and most vocal critics of continued U.S. military aid to the country, and he clashed with Zelenskyy in .
It was unclear what had prompted Loomer’s trip or how she had arranged the meeting with , which she plugged as an interview for her Rumble show, 鈥淟oomer Unleashed.” She posted a photo of the two that she said had been taken at Mariinsky Palace.
鈥淣o questions were off limits and I didn鈥檛 pull any punches,鈥� she said.
She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The meeting was confirmed earlier 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.
鈥淚t is really important that @LauraLoomer is in Ukraine and sees things with her own eyes as they are,鈥� Zelenskyy’s office Tuesday.
鈥淚t takes courage to come to Ukraine and not be deterred by Russian propaganda or air raid sirens. Thank you, Laura,” .
In addition to the meeting with Zelenskyy, Loomer also visited the Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of the country鈥檚 most significant religious landmarks, which .
The attack on the of golden domes in the heart of Kyiv, which is also known as the Monastery of the Caves, sparked a fire that according to UNESCO. Zelenskyy had called it Moscow鈥檚 鈥渂iggest crime yet against Christian culture.鈥�
Russia , claiming, without offering evidence, that the complex was hit by one of Ukraine鈥檚 U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles 鈥� saying that it might have veered off course due to its age.
In a video recorded Loomer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy by portraying Russia as pro-Christian.
鈥淚 just don鈥檛 think that you should be allowed to say that you鈥檙e protecting Christianity if you鈥檙e 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 .
The meeting comes amid continued hostilities between Russia and Ukraine that have overshadowed by the war with Iran.
Secretary of State said Thursday at in Manila that the administration is poised to help end the but acknowledged there was no quick path to a deal.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trip.
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Colvin reported from New York.
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