From 'Putin is right' to 'Sorry, I was wrong': Laura Loomer's stunning turnaround in Kyiv and the jab at Tucker Carlson
After years of attacking Ukraine and echoing messages from the Kremlin, Laura Loomer stood before Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and admitted: "I was misled." The two spoke about Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, Iran, and the war for public opinion.
Has one of the most prominent voices of the conservative right in the USA undergone a public awakening in a live broadcast? During an extensive and unusual interview held in the courtyard of the presidential palace in Kyiv, the American influencer close to Donald Trump, Laura Loomer, sat opposite the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and expressed remorse. According to the recording of the interview, Loomer, who until recently echoed Kremlin propaganda, admitted to the president that she had "fallen victim to Russian propaganda" and expressed unequivocal support for Kyiv's struggle for freedom. The journey to Kyiv was not simple: Loomer described an arduous 30-hour train journey through Poland due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace as a result of the war.
"I was blind, I was misled"
At the beginning of her remarks, Loomer revealed the dramatic change in her positions. "I wrote about five articles for the Russian network RT, and I regret it," she admitted candidly. "I realized that I was misled by Russian propaganda. I was very anti-Ukrainian and I had no problem with Vladimir Putin." She even added that she thought Ukraine was full of Nazis and said she was furious when the Ukrainian president visited the USA and conducted a campaign that, in her perception at the time, served the Democratic Party.
President Zelensky received these words with understanding and emphasized the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of attacks. "The answer to this whole war is that we are simply not ready to die. Even after attacks, we want to survive," he told her. He noted the scenes on the streets of Kyiv, where, despite the destruction caused by Russian missiles, citizens continue to live, children smile, and people sit to eat at McDonald's branches despite the looming danger. "Seeing life continue in the face of death — this is our true resilience," Zelensky clarified.
The jab at Tucker Carlson: "I don't watch people who aren't smart"
The conversation heated up when Loomer brought up the name of the anti-Israel influencer and former Fox News television host, Tucker Carlson. She did not spare criticism and mockingly called him "Tucker Qatar-lson," while accusing him of spreading foreign propaganda. In addition, she described how other right-wing influencers, such as Candace Owens, spread conspiracies. "He interviewed one of your former employees, and she accused you on his podcast of using cocaine funded by taxpayers," Loomer charged.
Zelensky's response was biting, elegant, and dismissive. "I'll tell you a secret - I watch smart people," he replied with a smile. "I never watch people who are not smart, because it just doesn't help with anything. Therefore, I did not watch Tucker Carlson's interview and I do not address these accusations." With this, the president closed the discussion surrounding the rumors spread against him on the networks.
Taxpayer money and the drone deal
Loomer challenged the president with pointed questions that trouble the conservative voter base in the USA, which is experiencing inflation difficulties and a border crisis. She noted that the USA is dealing with a massive national debt and an invasion of tens of millions of illegal immigrants. Why, she asked, should the American taxpayer fund a war overseas? Zelensky mentioned that at the beginning of the war, Ukraine purchased weapons from the Americans without financial support from its own funds. According to him, Ukraine effectively serves as the 'wall' that stops Putin's fantasies of re-establishing the Soviet Union - an entity that could become the greatest military threat to America's future.
Beyond that, the interview revealed an emerging military-technological cooperation between Washington and Kyiv. Zelensky described how the vast operational experience that Ukraine has gained in drone warfare is now passing into American hands. "America is getting back absolutely exclusive things. All the experience of this war — the generals of the United States received it for free," the president explained. He even announced an intention to expand the industrial partnership. "We will build a great factory in the United States... a strategic goal is to prevent the transfer of similar technologies to hostile countries and keep them with the allies," he added.
Fighting the "Nazi" libel from Russia
As Jews, the two found deep common ground when they discussed the "denazification" propaganda that the Kremlin is leading to justify the invasion. Zelensky emphasized the absurdity of the accusations and mentioned the severe Russian attack on the memorial site at Babi Yar. "At Babi Yar, the fascists murdered 130,000 people. And here the Russians are attacking there with missiles... And then they say that I am a Nazi collaborator?" the president fumed. Loomer agreed and revealed that Russian propaganda also presented her as a "Nazi collaborator," and this only because she met with representatives of the Jewish community in Kyiv and with Chief Rabbi Moshe Asman. Zelensky also addressed the lies of Russian propaganda regarding the alleged oppression of Russian speakers and the Christian religion. He explained that while hundreds of thousands of citizens of Jewish descent and many others who speak Russian live in Ukraine today, it was actually the Soviet Union that destroyed churches throughout 70 years of rule and suppressed every religious sign under the guise of communism.
Sanctions on Iran and an open invitation to Mar-a-Lago
Towards the end of the interview, Zelensky conveyed a conciliatory and important message towards Donald Trump. While in the past the relationship between the two had its ups and downs, Zelensky now declared that he sees Trump as a strong leader and expressed complete readiness to meet with him face-to-face. Loomer noted that Trump is considering promoting a strict bill to expand sanctions on Iran and Russia. Zelensky was quick to express unequivocal support for the move and called it a "critical step." To Loomer's question of where he would prefer to meet with Trump, Zelensky answered with a wide smile: "I am ready to come to the United States, to the Oval Office or to Mar-a-Lago, it depends solely on the president." The president emphasized that he hopes that any future administration will work to achieve a fair peace that will not abandon Ukraine. "History will answer if he is the best president," Zelensky concluded the historic interview.
