Haley warns Ukraine loss could lead to ‘a world war’

GOP presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that a world war could break out if Ukraine pulled out of its war against Moscow and called on the U.S. and its allies to continue to supply Ukraine with the appropriate weapons and equipment in the conflict.

“This is bigger than Ukraine. This is a war about freedom, and it’s one we have to win,” Haley told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday in a Republican town hall in Des Moines, Iowa. “What we have to understand is that a win for Ukraine is a win for all of us, because tyrants tell us exactly what they’re going to do.”

“China said they were going to take Hong Kong, they did it. Russia said they were going to invade Ukraine, we watched that happen. China says Taiwan’s next, we better believe them. Russia said Poland and the Baltics are next, if that happens, we are looking at a world war. This is about preventing war,” she continued. “Everybody wants to know well how does this war end? It would end in a day if Russia pulls out. If Ukraine pulled out, then we’re all looking at a world war.”

A number of the other 2024 Republican primary hopefuls have had to respond to questions about the war in Ukraine on the campaign trail, including front-runner former President Trump, who said he would “stop that war in 24 hours.”

Haley also criticized Trump for congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after the country received a seat on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) executive board.

“I don’t think we should congratulate dictators. Congratulate our friends. Don’t congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do,” Haley said after referring to Kim as “a thug.”

Haley took questions on a number of topics during the 90-minute town hall with Republican voters in the Hawkeye State. The former South Carolina governor reiterated her call for a “national consensus” on abortion. When asked whether she would sign a six-week abortion ban, similar to the legislation recently passed in her home state, Haley deflected the question back on President Biden and Vice President Harris.

“I will answer that when you ask Kamala and Biden if they will agree to 37 weeks, 38 weeks,” Haley said. “No one asks how late they are willing to go.”

Haley also said she would oppose red flag laws on guns, which would permit courts to temporarily keep guns away from those who may harm themselves or others.

“I don’t trust government to deal with red flag laws,” she said. “I don’t trust that they will — that they won’t take them away from people who rightfully deserve to have them. Because you’ve got someone else judging whether someone should have a gun or not. It is a constitutional right that people can protect and defend themselves.”

Haley, who was the first female governor of South Carolina and is the only woman in the GOP primary field, also remarked on what it would mean for her to be the first woman president elected.

“For me, I don’t think about that, as much as it would be nice to have that out of the way,” she said. “That’s what I thought when I became the first female governor of South Carolina.

“Women are amazing at a lot of things. I’m a big fan of women. We balance. We prioritize. We know how to get things done. And honestly, we’ve let guys do it for a while. It might be time for a woman to get it done.”

An early entrant into the race, Haley has been joined by a few other notable candidates in recent weeks, and the field isn’t done expanding: Former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are slated to jump into the race this week.

However, Haley and many of her fellow rivals face an uphill climb against Trump. The Real Clear Politics polling average shows Trump leading with 53.2 support, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 22.4 percent. Haley is at a distant third, with 4.4 percent support.

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