Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 26
Laura Loomer Reverses Ukraine Stance After 1 Kyiv Trip, Citing Russian Propaganda
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 26

Laura Loomer Reverses Ukraine Stance After 1 Kyiv Trip, Citing Russian Propaganda

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 26

Summary

  • Kyiv bomb shelter became the setting for Laura Loomer’s explanation of why she now backs Ukraine after years of criticizing it, saying Russian propaganda had “bamboozled” her into believing false claims.
  • 1 trip near Ukraine’s eastern front and a sit-down with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy drove the shift, Loomer said, after she concluded Telegram and pro-Russia media had warped views on the American right.
  • Trump, who remains close to Loomer despite her lack of an official role, spoke with her by phone after the Zelenskyy meeting and shared video of their interview, writing “Very good!!!”
  • Tuesday’s planned Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in Washington now looms over the visit, with Loomer arguing her turnaround is helping refocus attention on the war as Congress debates new Russia sanctions.
  • Ukrainian officials embraced Loomer as a potentially influential messenger to Trump’s base, even as her broader record of conspiracy theories and inflammatory rhetoric continues to fuel skepticism in the United States.

Insights

Can firsthand exposure change online audiences faster than sanctions can pressure Russia’s war machine and shadow fleet?