
Anger as Ramaswamy seems to call Jewish Ukraine leader Zelensky ‘Nazi’ at GOP debate
Businessman and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy appeared on Wednesday to call Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, a “Nazi” during the latest GOP presidential debate. During a line of comments in which the Republican argued Ukraine is anti-democratic and undeserving of US aid, Mr Ramaswamy claimed, “It has celebrated a Nazi in its ranks – the comedian in cargo pants, a man called Zelensky – doing it in their own ranks. That is not democratic.” However, the entrepreneur may have stumbled over his words and actually been speaking about a separate person as a “Nazi.” During the debate in September, he put it slightly differently, telling the audience, “We need a reasonable peace plan to end this, this is a country whose president just last week was hailing a Nazi in his own ranks.” The attack is an apparent reference to an incident from Canada in September. After hearing a speech from Mr Zelensky, lawmakers there gave an ovation to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, who fought for the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, a Nazi unit in WWII. The former soldier was invited to attend the address by then-House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, who has since resigned. Neither the Ukrainian delegation present nor the Canadian government was informed of the invitation, House government leader later Karina Gould told NPR. “No one in this House is above any of us. Therefore I must step down as your speaker,” Mr Rota said in Parliament in late September. “I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognising an individual in the House during the joint address to Parliament of President Zelensky. “That public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including to the Jewish community in Canada and around the world in addition to Nazi survivors in Poland among other nations. I accept full responsibility for my actions,” he added. Regardless of Mr Ramaswamy’s intended meaning, the comments generated controversy immediately, with critics arguing they played into Russian propaganda points. “Repeating offensive Kremlin talking points is an odd way to try to win votes in the USA,” retired Navy admiral James Stavridis wrote on X. Russia has repeatedly, falsely attacked the Ukrainian governments and its leaders as Nazis, and refered to its invasion of the country as “denazification.” “I’m increasingly convinced that Ramaswamy is a Ukrainian secret agent performing a parody of how stupid and cruel pro-Putin MAGA propagandists sound,” Russian chess champion and human rights activist Garry Kasparov wrote on X. “People advising Vivek Ramaswamay should be ashamed,” former Trump White House official Alyssa Farah Griffin added in a post of her own. “The paycheck is not worth propping up this ridiculous & offensive person. Antisemitism is on the rising globally & he has the gall to say this about a Jewish leader who is at war for his nation’s sovereignty. Despicable.” The Independent has contacted the Ramaswamy campaign for comment. Read More Ukraine moves step closer to EU membership as European Commission backs talks Russia-Ukraine war: Zelensky ‘sure of’ battlefield success – live Hundreds gather at vigil held for Ukrainian soldiers killed in missile attack Where the GOP presidential candidates stand on the war in Ukraine Trump challenged by Zelensky to come to Ukraine after claims he could stop war Ukraine opens criminal investigation into deadly Russian missile strike
1970-01-01 08:00

U.S. presidential hopefuls go toe-to-toe over footwear at Republican debate
By Alexandra Ulmer Republican presidential candidates traded barbs at Wednesday night's debate in Miami about foreign policy, the
1970-01-01 08:00

CATL Catches LG Energy in Global EV Battery Market Outside China
China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. caught up with South Korea’s LG Energy Solution Ltd. in the global electric-car
1970-01-01 08:00

Brookfield’s $12 Billion Origin Takeover Wins More Proxy Support
Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.’s A$19.4 billion ($12.4 billion) contested takeover offer for Origin Energy Ltd. won more advisory
1970-01-01 08:00

China's Oct consumer prices fall faster than expected
BEIJING (Reuters) -China's consumer prices swung into decline and factory-gate deflation persisted in October, suggesting pressures on demand have picked
1970-01-01 08:00

Takeaway from the third 2024 Republican presidential debate
By James Oliphant and Gram Slattery MIAMI Five candidates seeking to halt Donald Trump’s march toward the 2024
1970-01-01 08:00

Biden team says election night wins show path to 2024 victory
By Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A sense of vindication swept through the White House and Biden campaign
1970-01-01 08:00

US calls for limits on Israeli control of post-war Gaza
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON Palestinians should govern Gaza once Israel ends its war against Hamas, the United States
1970-01-01 08:00

A turning point in Myanmar as army suffers big losses
This is the most serious setback suffered by the junta since it seized power in February 2021.
1970-01-01 08:00

Taiwan takes aim at China's 'communist spies'
China's claims on the self-governed island have turned more threatening in the past year.
1970-01-01 08:00

Channel deaths: Government orders inquiry into mass drowning
A pregnant woman and three children were among at least 27 people who died when a boat sank in 2021.
1970-01-01 08:00

Factbox-After Ohio win, abortion rights advocates gear up for 2024 ballot fights
By Joseph Ax After a victory on Tuesday in Ohio, where voters enshrined abortion rights into the state
1970-01-01 08:00