In a scathing rebuke, Nikki Haley, a prominent Republican presidential candidate, took aim at former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, denouncing his assertions that he could swiftly resolve the ongoing Ukraine War as “crazy things.”
Trump has persistently advocated for an end to the hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, boldly proclaiming his ability to bring an end to the conflict within a mere 24 hours. However, his recent statement focused on criticizing President Joe Biden’s decision to supply M864 155-millimeter artillery shells, commonly referred to as cluster munitions or Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), which disperse smaller explosive projectiles over a targeted area to target personnel and vehicles.
Nikki Haley, a vocal figure within the Republican Party and a contender for the party’s presidential nomination, voiced her disapproval of Trump’s remarks, characterizing them as outlandish and disconnected from reality. Haley’s condemnation underscores a growing rift within the GOP, as some members distance themselves from Trump’s controversial policies and rhetoric.
Haley’s critique further highlights the delicate nature of the Ukraine conflict, with tensions escalating between Russia and Ukraine despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. The war has already caused immense human suffering and geopolitical instability, prompting global leaders to seek a peaceful resolution.
As the 2024 presidential election looms on the horizon, Haley’s critique of Trump’s statements on the Ukraine War illuminates the ongoing debate within the Republican Party regarding foreign policy approaches, highlighting the contrasting perspectives among its members.
“I think it’s ridiculous. He knows that he can’t end the war in a day. Everybody else knows he can’t end the war in a day,” Haley told Fox News host Neil Cavuto. “He says these crazy things. It’s not true. We’ve got a realistic situation on our hands. The way to end the war is to get Putin out, it’s not to appease him. The way we end the war is to be strong and work on our alliance.”
“When I worked on dealing with Iran at the United Nations or focused on dealing with Russia with Syria, when we had to negotiate with the Security Council in getting the largest sanctions against North Korea, we didn’t do it from a point of weakness,” Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations, told Cavuto. “We did it with a point of strength. It wasn’t just strength from the U.S., I had to strengthen the spines of the Europeans, of our friends in NATO to let them know our goal is to prevent war. The only way you prevent war is with strength.”
The United States has sent over $100 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022, and announced in January they would send 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks following a December announcement that a battery of MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missiles would be provided to that country.
“You have to take these dictators on. You don’t run from them, and that’s what Biden has done every step of the way,” Haley said. “He’s run from Putin. That’s what dragged out this war for so long. Let’s end this war, get Putin out. We can’t sit there and run scared of every dictator or else they’re gonna keep running all over us.”
