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(NewsNation) — Former biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie clashed over Ukraine and foreign policy at the NewsNation GOP Primary Debate on Wednesday night.
Christie started the exchange by slamming Ramaswamy’s views on ending the war in Ukraine, saying that he would give Russia “all the land that they’ve already stolen.”
The debate came at a time when American aid to Ukraine after the war with Russia — which has already topped $100 billion — has become particularly contentious among Republicans. The Senate failed to pass an aid package Tuesday after Republicans refused to support it because aid to Israel and Ukraine was not paired with changes to border security they wanted.
When Ramaswamy interjected that this wasn’t his proposal, Christie argued that Ramaswamy is constantly changing his positions.
“You go out on the stump and you say something, all of us see it on video, we confront you on the debate stage, you say you didn’t say it, and then you back away,” he said.
Ramaswamy hit back by pointing to New Jersey’s “Bridgegate scandal.”
“Chris, your version of foreign policy experience was closing a bridge from New Jersey to New York,” he retorted.
A recent NewsNation/DecisionDesk HQ poll found that most Americans want to keep U.S. troops out of foreign conflicts — an opinion shared by around three-quarters of Republican respondents favoring plans for Ukraine that exclude American soldiers.
Both candidates have consistently argued for their positions, with Christie siding with foreign policy hawks who want to continue to support Ukraine against Russia and Ramaswamy wanting to cut a deal to end the war.