Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says Russia is “likely a paper tiger” and America needs to stop “looking in the rearview mirror” when it comes to foreign policy if we hope to deter “Chinese aggression.”
The nation’s first Millennial to run for president made the remarks on Saturday when he joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” to discuss, among other things, the conflict between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the mercenary Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
(Video: Fox News)
Ultimately, what many see as a coup attempt against Putin ended in rather amicable negotiations, given the potentially explosive circumstances, with charges against Prigozhin being dropped.
“I think this is one more piece of evidence that Russia is likely a paper tiger,” Ramaswamy said. “The idea that Russia has the capabilities to go for Poland or other parts of Western Europe looks increasingly farcical.”
The United States, he argued, needs “to keep our eye on the prize… which is deterring Chinese aggression.”
“That’s actually the top threat that we face from a foreign policy perspective,” Ramaswamy stated.
If elected, the biopharmaceutical entrepreneur and graduate of both Harvard and Yale said he would “end the Russia-Ukraine war on terms that pulled Vladimir Putin further away from [Chinese President] Xi Jinping.”
Our foreign policy decisions should advance our *own* security interests, not someone else’s. The main thing should be the main thing: focus on China. End the war in Ukraine by striking a deal that freezes the current lines of control & commits to keeping Ukraine out of NATO in… pic.twitter.com/7qutNqkFyB
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) June 24, 2023
“The ground game for Vladimir Putin is flailing as we speak,” he stated, “but the number one thing that Russia still has that’s ahead of both China and the U.S. is the largest nuclear stockpile in the world and also hypersonic missile capabilities ahead of both the U.S. and China.”
“That’s a valuable asset for Xi Jinping to have in his back pocket,” Ramaswamy said. “I think that we can end this war in Ukraine with a deal that requires Putin to end his military partnership with China. I think that’s how we actually achieve American objectives.”
He reminded viewers that things have changed dramatically since the Cold War days.
“I think it’s the absence of purpose in the U.S. military,” he said. “I think the managerial class is at best — this is the best case scenario, a charitable interpretation — looking in the rearview mirror and trying to repeat the tactics of the late 20th century, failing to recognize that the USSR [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics] does not exist today.”
“The Chinese Communist Party is actually the threat to the United States today that the USSR might have posed in our last Cold War, so we need to stop driving our foreign policy with our eyes in the review mirror,” he said, “and wake up to the actual threats that we face today.”
Reactions to Ramaswamy’s remarks were mixed, with some calling the young candidate “naive.”
“Your foreign policy positions are naive and dangerous. Focusing on China and dealing with Russia is not a binary decision. Both can be focused on at the same time, and effectively. Surround yourself with better FP advisors because the ones you have now are failing you,” stated one Twitter user. “The fact you’re willing to reward Russia with current demarcation lines is a ridiculous position and shows weakness and encourages future incursions. Really, really bad take.”
The fact you’re willing to reward Russia with current demarcation lines is a ridiculous position and shows weakness and encourages future incursions. Really, really bad take.
— BunkerF16 (@BunkerF16) June 24, 2023
But others praised Ramaswamy for being “the adult in the room.”
Vivek – Thank you for being the adult in the room, to take the highroad. The way of a true diplomat. You are taking the same road that JFK did, and I admire you for it!
I will admit you’re not number 1 on my list of candidates, but you have moved into the top 3!
️️️— Matrix Operator (@JS1ZL) June 24, 2023
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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