Laura Loomer meets Zelensky in Kyiv after reversing her stance on Ukraine

Laura Loomer met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv after reversing years of comments that echoed Russian propaganda and minimized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Loomer, a far-right activist and close ally of Donald Trump, had previously described Ukraine as “a country full of Nazi apologists” and said it was led “by a Jihadi apologist.” During the visit, she told Zelensky that she had come to realize she had been misled.

At the meeting in the Marrinsky Palace, Loomer raised rumors amplified by Tucker Carlson that Zelensky had taken cocaine with French President Emmanuel Macron. Zelensky laughed and replied: “Of course not”.

Zelensky also rejected Russian claims that Ukraine is Nazi, saying he had explained the history of Soviet persecution of Judaism in Ukraine and stressing: “We are not Nazis”.

He said he is due to visit Washington next week for the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and expects to see Trump. He also said his relationship with Trump is now “better and really good” after a tense history that included a shouting match in the Oval Office.

Zelensky said the tone changed after they met in the Vatican last year. He said the two spoke for around 15 minutes inside St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis and that it was a “historic moment” because they changed relations during a brief private meeting.

Loomer also visited parts of Kyiv, including a McDonald’s damaged by shrapnel from a Russian missile strike. In a video from inside a church, she accused Putin of hypocrisy for portraying Russia as pro-Christian, saying: “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.”