Zelensky meets US influencer Laura Loomer during Ukraine visit

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks Thursday with Laura Loomer, a right-wing American influencer and confidante of US President Donald Trump, an adviser to Zelensky said.

Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to the Ukrainian leader, confirmed the meeting. Loomer, 33, is an arch-conservative commentator with millions of online followers. She has recently moved away from her earlier opposition to Ukraine and has supported the country's resistance against Russia's invasion, which began in 2022.

Loomer had previously opposed US military and financial aid for Ukraine. On Monday, she posted a video of herself on a train in Ukraine. On Tuesday, she said she had experienced an air raid alert in Kyiv. In her posts, she said she regretted minimizing Ukrainians' suffering and said some people had accepted Russian propaganda about Ukraine.

Zelensky's office welcomed Loomer's visit, saying it was important for her to see events in Ukraine personally.

Trump has previously clashed with Zelensky, but has recently spoken in favor of Ukraine. The US president said last month that he would let Ukraine build Patriot missiles for its air defence systems.