Republican 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said on Sunday that he would agree to "major concessions" to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war.
The Russia-Ukraine war, launched by Putin last February, has remained a major point of discussion for the 2024 election as candidates seek to prove themselves as strong leaders on foreign policy, a key responsibility of U.S. presidents.
Republicans have been critical of President Joe Biden's approach to the war, saying that him giving Ukraine billions of dollars of military aid does not benefit Americans and that those funds should instead be spent domestically. However, that aid has been credited with bolstering Ukraine's defense efforts against Russia's invasion, which has been widely condemned as unprovoked and lacking justification.
Ramaswamy, a businessman, has pledged that, if elected, he would "not spend another dime of American money on a war that does not affect our interests."
ABC News host Martha Raddatz pressed him on his stance on the Russia-Ukraine war during an appearance on This Week on Sunday morning, asking him, "You don't think the idea of Russia taking over Ukraine is not in our interests?"
Ramaswamy explained that while he does not view Russia taking Ukraine as "preferable," he does not view it as a "top foreign policy priority" for the U.S., instead saying that as president, he would focus his efforts on the alliance between China and Russia, which he views as "our top military threat."
China is a key ally to Russia amid the Ukraine war, which has prompted many global leaders to issue sanctions against Moscow and provide support for Ukraine. Beijing, which has one of the world's largest militaries and economies, has claimed a more neutral stance on the war, though many experts say it largely backs Russia. Meanwhile, the two nations have deepened ties since the war began.
"I think that by fighting further in Russia, by further arming Ukraine, we are driving Russia into China's hands, and that Sino-Russian alliance is the top threat we face," Ramaswamy said.
He added that he would work to broker an end to the war that would give Putin concessions in exchange for Russia pulling away from agreements with China.
"What I think we need to do is end the Ukraine war on peaceful terms, that yes, do make some major concessions to Russia, including freezing the current lines of control—which Ukraine wouldn't want to do—and also a permanent commitment not to allow Ukraine to enter NATO," he said. "But in return, Russia has to leave its treaty and its joint military agreement with China. That better advances American interests and actually furthers China from going after Taiwan, which I think is a much higher priority for the United States."
Newsweek reached out to the Ramaswamy campaign for comment via email.
Where 2024 GOP Candidates Stand on Russia-Ukraine War
Republican candidates have been broadly critical of Biden's approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, but have offered different visions for how they would handle the conflict.
Former President Donald Trump, who is currently leading in the polls, has blamed the war on Biden, claiming the war would never have happened if he won reelection in 2020. He has repeatedly pledged to end the war "within 24 hours" by talking to Putin. He has also said Ukraine should have reached a deal to prevent the Russian invasion.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said engaging in the Ukraine war is not a "vital national interest" of the U.S., calling the war a "territorial dispute." He has also condemned the war as "wrong."
Meanwhile, other Republican candidates have voiced support for aiding Ukraine. Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and United Nations ambassador, said in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network in February, "We have the backs of our friends, and we hold our enemies to account. Whether it's Ukraine or Israel, we take care of them because it's about freedom. And we can never stop fighting for freedom."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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