Nikki Haley: Russian victory in Ukraine would be win for China
Jack Birle
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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley outlined Tuesday that she believes Russia must be defeated in Ukraine to stave off Chinese aggression.
Haley, writing in the Wall Street Journal, went after President Joe Biden and some GOP presidential contenders for not being tough enough on Russia in Ukraine.
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“Mr. Biden says the U.S. stands with Ukraine, but he has consistently let Russia seize the initiative. He encouraged the invasion by surrendering in Afghanistan and by saying a ‘minor incursion’ into Ukraine would be OK,” Haley wrote. “He has failed to send Kyiv the support it needs, when it needs it. He has even given Ukraine money without accountability when he should have sent weapons and military equipment.”
She added that Biden has not given Ukraine the means necessary to “repel” Russia, rather he has only given enough to “slow” them.
The former South Carolina governor also appeared to go after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who is seen as a presidential contender, arguing the war in Ukraine is more than a “territorial dispute,” a phrase DeSantis used to describe the war.
“More surprising is the weakness from some on the right. They say the U.S. shouldn’t care about Ukraine because this war isn’t our fight,” Haley wrote. “Some call it a mere ‘territorial dispute.’ They say we should ignore Ukraine so we can focus on China. This has it backward. China loses if Ukraine wins. Nobody knows that better than Mr. Xi. He wants America to shift attention from Ukraine in the short run, because it would give Russia and China an edge in the long run — in Europe, Asia and worldwide.”
She also said the United States could help Ukraine sufficiently without having to send blank checks or having to put troops there. The former ambassador to the United Nations remarked that a strong U.S. on the global stage is the best counter to China and Russia.
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Haley has differentiated herself from other 2024 contenders on the war in Ukraine, opting for a more supportive role to the Ukrainian effort than DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, who have both said the war is not a key U.S. interest.
In polling among the 2024 contenders, Haley finds herself in a distant third among the field of candidates, with Trump and DeSantis far ahead of the pack. Haley announced her bid in February, becoming the second major GOP candidate to declare after Trump did so in November 2022.