Ukrainian-born NYC GOP lawmaker meets with Donald Trump

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 Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, one of five GOP members of the body, posted a picture of herself with the former commander in chief, saying he “expressed his solidarity” with Ukrainians amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia.

“Grateful to have met with President Trump. He commended me for flipping my seat from Democrat to Republican & we discussed the need to bring back our beloved NYC,” Vernikov (R-Southern Brooklyn) tweeted with a picture of herself and Trump flashing a thumbs up.

“He expressed his solidarity with the people of Ukraine & sent prayers and love for my constituents from Ukraine.

Vernikov — a 37-year-old who describes herself as a “Ukrainian-born American Jew” – also praised Trump’s foreign policy positions.

“I thanked him for all he has done for our country and the peace he brought to the Middle East with the Abraham Accords and by exiting the disastrous Iran Deal,” the lawmaker said on Twitter Sunday afternoon. “I look forward to a continued relationship with the unparalleled 45th president of the United States.”

It’s unclear when and where the picture was taken.

Vernikov – who was raised in Chernovitz under Soviet rule and immigrated to the US when she was 12 years old — blasted Putin during the New York State GOP convention, saying he has “lost his mind” and wants to “destroy Democracy.”

“What a dark, dark moment in our history. The people in Ukraine are suffering at the hands of a terrorist. And growing up in the region, I know that President Putin has always been a tyrant, but now he has officially lost his mind,” an emotional Vernikov said on March 1 in Long Island’s Garden City.

“I think that all this is about is more power. I think he wants to destroy democracy. And I think he wants to bring the Soviet Union back.”

During her address, Vernikov also said her success in the 2021 City Council contest for the Brooklyn seat formerly held by Democrat Chaim Deutsch should be encouraging to Republicans in the deep blue Empire State. 

“My victory should send a very loud and clear message to Republicans all over this state: As President Barack Obama used to say: Yes we can,” she said earlier this month. “We can and we will win.”

Vernikov, of Brighton Beach, is part of a historically large caucus of Republican City Council members who want to provide a counterbalance to the overwhelming Democratic 51-member body.

“There are now five Republicans in the council who are going to be the voice countering 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, should he decide to run, according to the results of a straw poll announced last month.

If the former commander in chief opts to throw his hat in the ring, former Vice President Mike Pence will likely not be his running mate, Trump explained last week.