Former U.S. President George W. Bush had an embarrassing slip of the tongue while discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a speech.
While delivering a statement about safeguarding freedom and the threats democracy faces domestically and around the world, Bush accidentally mixed up Ukraine and Iraq.
"In contrast, Russian elections are rigged," Bush said. "Political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated from participating in the electoral process. The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine."
Bush shrugged and mumbled “Iraq, too. Anyway.”
The former president then jokingly said, “Seventy-five,” blaming the error on his age, to which the audience laughed.
During the speech at his presidential center at Southern Methodist University, Bush also compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Winston Churchill and denounced the Russian government, the Dallas Morning News reported.
“The way countries conduct elections is indicative of how their leaders treat their own people, and how nations behave toward other nations,” Bush said. “And nowhere is this on display more clearly than Ukraine.
Bush described Zelenskyy as a “cool little guy” and the “the Churchill of the 21st century,” adding he had his nation’s support due to taking power in a legitimate election.