Vivek Ramaswamy calls Ukraine’s Zelensky ‘Nazi’ during GOP presidential debate; campaign clarifies remark

Republican White House hopeful and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyon Wednesday (Nov 8) during the thirdGOPdebate. Ramaswamy called Zelensky, who is Jewish, a “Nazi” during the debate in Miami, Florida and reiterated Republican talking points which have sought to cut aid for Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia.

‘Comedian in cargo pants’

In a series of scathing remarks against the Ukrainian president, Ramaswamy seemingly accused Zelensky of being a Nazi when asked about his recent plea for more aid from the United States during the debate. The Ukrainian president, who is Jewish, lost family members in the Holocaust.

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While a number of Republicans on the stage said they would support the idea of sending more aid to Ukraine, Ramaswamy – an aggressive critic of American aid to Ukraine – said, “Ukraine is not a paragon of democracy,” adding “It has celebrated a Nazi in its ranks. A comedian in cargo pants. The man called Zelensky. That is not democratic.”

The US presidential hopeful also said, “This is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties. It has consolidated all media into one state TV media arm – that’s not democratic. It has threatened not to hold elections this year unless the US forks over more money – that is not democratic.”

“To frame this as some battle between good versus evil – don’t buy it,” Ramaswamy claimed.

So far, the US Congress has approved about $113 billion in aid for Kyiv.

Ramaswamy's remarks garner criticism

The remarks quickly garnered criticism, with many taking to social media and saying Ramaswamy is playing into Russian talking points.

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“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.

This comes as Russia has repeatedly attacked the Ukrainian government and officials by calling them Nazis. President Vladimir Putin in his speech just before launching what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine said that the goal of his offensive was to “denazify” Kyiv.

What did his campaign say?

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, in an interview with the New York Times later clarified that he did not call Zelensky a Nazi, but was instead referring to an incident in the Canadian parliament back in September.

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During his visit to Canada, the Ukrainian president joined a standing ovation honouring a 98-year-old Ukrainian Canadian war veteran, Yaroslav Hunka. But it turned out later that Hunkain fact served in a division that was under Nazi control during World War II.

McLaughlin said that Ramaswamy was referring to Zelensky’s joining in the applause. However, she also did acknowledge that without context, that remark can be misunderstood. “He was talking quickly and kind of oscillated in his words,” McLaughlin told the New York Times.

(With inputs from agencies)