Journalist and activist Laura Loomer visited Ukraine and conducted an interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a trip undertaken after years of questioning U.S. involvement and support for the country.
Loomer's visit culminated in a nearly hour-long interview at the presidential palace in Kyiv. During the interview, she questioned Zelenskyy about various criticisms, including allegations of cocaine use and the presence of "Nazis" in Ukraine. Zelenskyy denied using cocaine with French President Emmanuel Macron, referencing online images.
"I really wanted to see it up close and find out, wow, you know, is this a country full of Nazis? Are they laundering our taxpayer dollars to Democrats? You know, is Zelenskyy a cokehead?" Loomer stated in an interview with the Daily Mail. She explained her goal was to "counter some of the propaganda in real time" by asking direct questions, noting she wanted to determine if claims were Russian propaganda.
Loomer described her journey to Ukraine, which involved flying to Poland and then taking a train to Kyiv. She stated that she had become skeptical of right-wing media figures who criticized Zelenskyy while also promoting "pro-Kremlin and anti-Semitic" content. This led her to question her own perceptions.
"One thing I started to realize that all these people had in common is that they were all rooting for Russia to win the war," Loomer said. "And so I thought to myself, wow, maybe I've been brainwashed and propagandized by Russian propaganda into thinking that Ukraine is the enemy and that Russia is actually in the right."
While acknowledging past critical social media posts accusing Zelenskyy and Ukrainians of being "Nazis" and stating the U.S. had funded "Nazism," Loomer said she had changed her mind after witnessing the situation firsthand. She indicated she would not delete her past posts, describing them as a reminder that "people can change."
Loomer denied any claims that she was paid for the trip, stating, "I wasn't paid. I'm not a lobbyist. I didn't get paid to do this by anybody."
During her visit, Loomer reported feeling safe and observed the presence of military personnel providing security. She also described positive interactions with Ukrainians who expressed gratitude for American support and specifically thanked former President Trump.
Loomer relayed that she had spoken with former President Trump twice since arriving in Ukraine and thanked him for sharing a clip of her interview. She advised Trump to continue supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia and to counter what she described as a growing alliance of anti-American interests involving Russia, China, Iran, and other nations.
Loomer suggested that Ukraine should not be forced to cede territory as part of a peace deal, a condition reportedly demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin. She proposed that continued sanctions on Russia could create sufficient internal pressure to influence the situation. "We can't continue allowing for Russia's aggression to expand and for a multipolar alliance in Russia, China, Iran, and probably other countries, too, like, North Korea would join," she stated.
Loomer expressed surprise at Zelenskyy's demeanor, describing him as having a "mellow vibe" and "composure and grace" despite leading his country through wartime.
