Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet former U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington next week, according to right-wing U.S. influencer Laura Loomer, signaling a possible shift in relations and attitudes toward Ukraine within some U.S. political circles. The meeting is expected to coincide with Zelenskyy’s attendance at the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, which falls alongside the progression of the latest Russian sanctions bill through the U.S. Congress.
The announcement comes amid Loomer’s notable change in stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Previously known for downplaying Russia’s full-scale invasion and spreading narratives aligned with Kremlin positions through her social media platforms, Loomer expressed a new perspective after experiencing an air raid in Kyiv firsthand. “Just experienced my first air raid in Ukraine. Sirens blaring. This is every day for every Ukrainian,” she wrote on her platform X, adding that she now believes the situation demands “moral clarity.”
During an interview with Zelenskyy in the garden of the presidential palace in Kyiv, Loomer discussed a range of topics, including Zelenskyy’s past confrontations with Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office. Zelenskyy described his relationship with Trump as having improved significantly following a brief meeting at the Vatican in April 2025, which he called a “historic moment” that altered their rapport in a matter of minutes. Trump subsequently praised Loomer’s interview on Truth Social, calling it “Very good!!!!” Observers in Ukraine interpreted the exchange as an indication of a softening of Trump’s previously critical stance toward Kyiv.
The interview and Loomer’s changed position come against the backdrop of ongoing Russian military actions in Ukraine. A recent missile attack in the Kyiv region resulted in six deaths and multiple injuries, while another bombing in the eastern city of Sloviansk killed five people. Loomer voiced support for expanded U.S. sanctions on Russia, highlighting Moscow’s alignment with the Iranian regime. She asserted that Russia was supplying Iran with explosives used against U.S. forces, with Iran also reportedly calling for Trump’s assassination. Loomer argued that the U.S. must continue to weaken Russia’s economy until it agrees to peace.
This represents a striking reversal for Loomer, who has for years criticized U.S. assistance to Ukraine, at times labeling the country as “full of Nazi apologists,” a claim widely debunked but used by Russia to justify its invasion. She also previously accused Zelenskyy of being “a Jihadi apologist.” This week, she released a video filmed inside the Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra—a prominent religious site damaged by a Russian drone attack in June—where she criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim to protect Christianity, calling it hypocritical to drone strike a Christian holy site.
The evolving dynamics reflect complexities in U.S. political attitudes toward Ukraine, as well as ongoing tensions in the conflict, with multiple actors recalibrating their positions amid continued violence and diplomatic efforts.