American political influencer Laura Loomer, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, offered her own interpretation of the reasons why US President Donald Trump lashed out at Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to her, such statements could be a direct reaction to the Ukrainian leader's public criticism of the so-called "diesel deal" with Russia. Loomer emphasized that she does not claim to speak on behalf of the US President, but deemed it appropriate to comment on the dynamics of public statements from both sides.
The "Diesel Deal" as a Potential Conflict Trigger
The central element of Loomer's explanation was her hypothesis regarding the cause-and-effect relationship between two events: Zelenskyy's public criticism in the media space and Trump's subsequent social media post. The influencer pointed out that the statement claiming it is, in her quote, "easier to negotiate with Vladimir Putin than with Zelenskyy" would hardly have appeared on the US President's page if the Ukrainian leader had not gone public and criticized his American counterpart after concluding the diesel deal with Russia. Thus, Loomer effectively invites readers to view Trump's harshness not as a spontaneous reaction, but as a retaliatory move to Kyiv's previous actions.
Advice to Zelenskyy: "Keep Feelings to Yourself"
Commenting on the Ukrainian president's public communication style, Loomer offered a recommendation she believes Zelenskyy should take into consideration. "Zelenskyy probably could have handled this better by keeping those feelings to himself or having a private conversation with President Trump, because nobody likes being attacked in the liberal media," she stated. The influencer added that this very principle—avoiding public conflict with the White House chief—should be kept in mind by Zelenskyy in future communications. The phrase "liberal media" in the context of her statement indicates that Loomer views media pressure as a tool directed against Trump's position.
Context: Trump's Frustration and the Revision of the Narrative on Zelenskyy
Loomer's remarks in the RBC-Ukraine interview are not an isolated episode. Previously, she reported that Trump is frustrated by the lack of progress in ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Furthermore, Loomer recently publicly criticized the thesis that Zelenskyy is an "obstacle" to peace, indicating a certain evolution in her own position regarding the Ukrainian leader's role in the negotiation process. Taken together, these statements suggest that the influencer occupies an intermediate position: she does not support the narrative of Zelenskyy as the sole block to the peace process, but simultaneously believes that his style of publicly criticizing Trump is counterproductive.
What's Next: Full Interview and Congressional Elections
RBC-Ukraine announced the publication of the full interview with Laura Loomer, in which she elaborates on the diesel deal theme, analyzes Trump's statements, assesses Zelenskyy's reaction, and comments on the outcomes and prospects of the US Congressional elections. The material is promised for publication the day after this announcement. For observers of US-Ukrainian relations, this interview may become one of the few public sources where an outside commentator from Trump's inner circle attempts to explain the logic of his public statements in the context of specific diplomatic and trade arrangements with Russia.
