Raymond de Souza: Why is Trump suddenly warming up to Ukraine?

President Donald Trump (R) meets with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (L) for bilateral talks at Bestepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 8, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy headed into his Tuesday meeting with President Donald Trump coming off a significant victory. Not on the battlefield, though that seems to be moderately turning in Ukraine’s favour, but in MAGA’s online world, to which Trump pays great attention.

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I did not realize, as I was writing my column on Ukraine last week, that Laura Loomer was sympathetically interviewing Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Loomer, who spews all sorts of online invective, is close to Trump.

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After years of parroting Russian propaganda, Loomer visited Ukraine last week and reversed her position on the war. She previously had Vice-President JD Vance’s position — he who is proudest of cutting off aid to Ukraine — though expressed in incendiary language, all the better to be a MAGA influencer and get privileged access to Trump. Apparently she spoke to him twice during the trip, and several times since her return.

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Given that Trump has not appointed ambassadors to Kyiv (or Moscow), and his special envoys refuse to set foot in Ukraine (while eight times paying court to President Vladimir Putin), it is as close as he might get to an on-the-ground briefing from someone he trusts. Reports are that he is warming up to Zelenskyy, for whom he had previously reserved special contempt.

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MAGA has maintained a cold fury against Zelenskyy ever since he refused Trump’s request in his first term to engage in some friendly lawfare against alleged Biden family corruption in Ukraine. That attempt to use presidential power for partisan benefit led to Trump’s first impeachment.

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Using official power for personal benefit is, nevertheless, the way things are done in Trumpworld and so fevered questions have been asked. Did Ukraine pay Loomer to visit? She denies it.

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Why would Zelenskyy sit down with such an appalling person, who trafficks in the most rank online bile? There is only one answer. Loomer’s influence is significant. In April 2025, she met with Trump in the Oval Office to sow suspicion about the fealty of several staffers on the National Security Council. Trump fired them within 24 hours.

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Perhaps Loomer’s about-face on Ukraine was the result of doing some belated research and discovering in fact that one country brazenly invaded another. Or perhaps she was bought.

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Her ethics, such as they are, do not merit much attention. Another question is more relevant. Would Ukraine have been wrong to buy her as a conduit to the Trump administration? Or more boldly, would Ukraine be wrong if it attempted to buy the Trump family?

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For that matter, would Canada?

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The easy answer is yes. Bribery is immoral. But so is not telling the truth, and both Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Mark Carney routinely say positive things about Trump that they cannot possibly believe are true.