Nikki Haley Criticizes Trump and DeSantis on U.S. Foreign Policy Views

Nikki Haley, the Republican candidate for the 60th U.S. presidential election and former U.N. ambassador, criticized Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, and Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, for their foreign policy views, stating that they do not explicitly call for Ukraine's victory in its war with Russia. Mr. Trump, the most popular candidate among Republicans in the presidential race, recently stated that he wants the war to end but will help Ukraine and Russia negotiate to resolve it. Mr. DeSantis, his main rival, also expressed support for resolving the war and hopes it will end by the time the next president is sworn in January 2025. Nikki Haley, the only woman in the race, criticized Ron DeSantis for referring to the Ukraine war as a 'territorial dispute,' a position he later retreated from due to widespread criticism. Speaking on CNN in Iowa, the state where the presidential campaign begins, she added, 'It is not acceptable to sit back and say this war is a territorial dispute or that we should remain neutral.' She emphasized that 'Ukraine's victory is in our national security interest.' According to Reuters, Ukraine is a divisive issue among Republicans due to isolationist sentiments among many voters in the presidential primaries. Nikki Haley, 51, a former governor of South Carolina, announced her candidacy for the White House in February and now faces more competitors, including former Vice President Mike Pence, who entered the Republican primary race on Monday. Haley also criticized Trump for congratulating Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, after the country was elected to the executive board of the World Health Organization last week. Trump has previously praised the North Korean leader. Nikki Haley stated, 'Kim Jong Un is a thug. In my opinion, we should not congratulate dictators.' Messrs. DeSantis and Pence have also criticized Trump for this. According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May, Trump leads among potential Republican voters in the primaries with 49% support, followed by DeSantis at 19% and Haley at 4%. According to Reuters, Haley and other competitors are trying to distinguish themselves from Ron DeSantis, hoping he stumbles and clears the field for competition against Donald Trump.