Nikki Haley, a former Republican presidential candidate, took aim at President Trump, for his recent comments about Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has been blaming Zelensky and Ukraine’s leadership for the ongoing war, which is approaching its third year.
On Tuesday, Trump said that Ukraine’s leaders were responsible for the conflict in Eastern Europe. The next day, he continued his criticism, claiming Zelensky was doing a “terrible job” leading Ukraine and accused him of taking advantage of the U.S. by accepting aid.
Haley, who later endorsed Trump in the 2024 race, responded to these comments on X (formerly Twitter), calling them “classic Russian talking points” and exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to hear.
Trump’s comments came just as U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to begin peace talks. These talks aim to restart U.S.-Russia relations, which have been strained since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukraine had no representative at this meeting.
On Wednesday, Trump continued his attacks, calling Zelensky a “dictator” and accusing him of not holding elections, which he claimed led to a drop in Zelensky’s approval rating.
However, elections cannot be held in Ukraine right now due to martial law. A recent poll showed that 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky.
Zelensky responded to Trump’s comments, saying the former president is “living in a Russian disinformation space.”
Haley, known for her strong foreign policy views, has previously stated that supporting Ukraine is in the best interest of the U.S. and has backed Ukraine joining NATO.
Trump’s comments have also drawn criticism from other Republican leaders. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also running in the 2024 primary, pushed back on Trump’s statement, saying, “Ukraine did not ‘start’ this war. Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives.” He added that peace must be based on truth.
Some Republican senators have also spoken out against Trump’s views. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), after visiting Kyiv with Senate Democrats, praised Zelensky for his leadership during the war. “Zelensky is frustrated, but he’s also been the right head of state for the time,” Tillis said. “He’s kept a nation together focused on Russian occupiers, and I think we should give them a fair amount of credit for that work.”
