British Prime Minister Nigel Farage has angered political opponents after he said the West had “provoked” the war in Ukraine.

CNN
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Nigel Farage, a figurehead of the UK’s populist right, has angered political opponents after he said the West was a “provocation”. Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Farage – who presides over rapid growth Political party reform in the United Kingdom He was a central figure in Brexit – and is seeking to win a seat in Parliament for the first time in next month’s general election.

During an interview with BBC Farage was asked on Friday whether he stood by a February 2022 tweet that described Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine “as a result of EU and NATO enlargement.”

“Why did you say that? It was clear to me that the continued expansion of NATO and the EU eastwards was what gave this man [Putin] He told BBC correspondent: Nick Robinson.

He said: “We provoked this war – and this is his fault, of course – he used what we did as an excuse.”

Farage, a former EU parliamentarian, claimed to be “the only person in British politics” who predicted the invasion of Ukraine.

After appearing on the BBC. Farage moved to X He clarified his statements. “I am one of the few figures who has been consistent and honest about the war with Russia,” he wrote. Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign state, and the European Union was wrong to expand eastward.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the comments today while speaking to reporters. “What he said was completely wrong and only serves Putin’s interests,” Sunak said. “This kind of appeasement poses a danger to Britain’s security.”

James Cleverly, Britain’s home secretary, said Farage was “parroting Putin’s vile justification for the brutal invasion of Ukraine” on Channel X.

Former Conservative Defense Secretary Ben Wallace spoke to the BBC’s Today program about Farage’s comments, in which he described the Reform leader as “a bit like that boring person we’ve all met at the end of the pub who often says ‘Oh no, if I were running’ for the country.” “It offers overly simplistic answers to problems that are actually complex, I fear, in the 21st century.”

The opposition Labor Party, which opinion polls overwhelmingly indicate will regain power next month, also expressed its opinion.

John Healey, a Labor MP and shadow defense secretary, wrote: “These disgraceful comments reveal the true face of Nigel Farage: an apologist for Putin who should never be trusted with our nation’s security.”

He added that Farage “has shown that he would rather lick Vladimir Putin’s shoes than defend the people of Ukraine.”