Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 1
Laura Loomer Meets Zelensky for 40 Minutes as Ukraine Courts MAGA Allies
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 1

Laura Loomer Meets Zelensky for 40 Minutes as Ukraine Courts MAGA Allies

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 1

Summary

  • Laura Loomer spent about 40 minutes with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv last week, part of a high-profile Ukrainian push to reach Trump-aligned conservatives.
  • Kyiv also gave Loomer the first interview with its new acting defense minister, arranged a dinner with the country’s chief rabbi and highlighted an animal shelter, underscoring a tailored outreach effort.
  • Loomer said Ukrainian officials see her as an extension of the Trump administration despite her having no formal role, and she said her newly pro-Ukraine message sent “shock waves” through the right.
  • The visit reflects years of Ukrainian efforts to soften MAGA skepticism about the war and suggests splits on the Iran war may be reshaping U.S. right-wing attitudes toward Russia and Ukraine.

Insights

How did a firsthand tour of war-damaged Kyiv turn Laura Loomer from skeptic to supporter, and what does that reveal about modern wartime messaging?