A Ukrainian-born Republican city lawmaker who recently blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “terrorist” met with former President Donald Trump, she revealed Sunday.
City Councilor Inna Vernikov, one of five GOP members of the body, posted a picture of herself with the former commander, saying he “expressed his solidarity” with Ukrainians over the course of the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
“Thank you for meeting with President Trump. He praised me for moving my seat from Democrat to Republican and we discussed the need to bring our beloved NYC back. Vernikov (R-Southern Brooklyn) tweeted with a photo of himself and Trump flashing his thumbs up.
“He expressed his solidarity with the people of Ukraine & sent prayers and love to my voters from Ukraine.
Vernikov, a 37-year-old Ukrainian-born American Jew, praised Trump’s foreign policy.
“I thank him for all he has done for our country and the peace he has brought to the Middle East with the Abraham Accords and through the exit from the disastrous Iran deal,” said the legislature on Twitter Sunday afternoon. “I look forward to a further relationship with the unparalleled 45th President of the United States.”
It is not clear when and where the photo was taken.
Vernikov – who grew up in Chernovitz under Soviet rule and immigrated to the United States when she was 12 years old – exploded under Putin during the New York State GOP Convention, saying he “lost his mind” and wanted to. Destroy democracy. “
“What a dark, dark moment in our history. The people of Ukraine are suffering at the hands of a terrorist. And when I grew up in the region, I know that President Putin was always a tyrant, but now he has officially lost his mind, “said an emotional Vernikov on March 1 in Long Island Garden City.
“I think it’s all about more power. I think he wants to destroy democracy. And I think he wants to bring back the Soviet Union.
During her address, Vernikov also said that her success in the 2021 city council contest for the Brooklyn seat formerly held by Democrat Chaim Deutsch should encourage Republicans in the deep-blue Empire State.
“My victory should send a very loud and clear message to Republicans across this state: As President Barack Obama said earlier: ‘Yes, we can,'” she said earlier this month. “We can and we will win.”
Vernikov, from Brighton Beach, is part of a historically large caucus of Republican city council members who want to provide a counterbalance to the overwhelmingly democratic 51-member body.
“There are now five Republicans on the council who are voting against the progressive wing of the Democratic Party,” Vernikov told The Post in January.
Trump, meanwhile, is the overwhelming favorite for the GOP nomination in the 2024 presidential election if he decides to run, according to the results of a straw poll announced last month.
If the former commander-in-chief decides to throw his hat in the ring, former Vice President Mike Pence is unlikely to be his candidate, Trump said last week.
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