Outrage over British right-wing extremist who provoked the war in Ukraine

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, faced strong criticism on Saturday after saying the West had provoked Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with the BBC on Friday, Mr Farage said: “We provoked this war”, but added “of course” that it was Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “fault”.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters Mr Farage’s claim was “completely false and only plays into Putin’s hands”.

Labour leader Keir Starmer, who is expected to take over from Sunak after next month’s election, described Farage’s comments as “disgraceful”.

“Anyone running for parliament must be aware that Russia is the aggressor,” he told reporters during the election campaign.

Mr Farage – a former European parliamentarian who has tried unsuccessfully to stand for Westminster seven times – is running for a seat in Clacton, east England, in next month’s general election.

His party is third in the polls behind the ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party, but is expected to gain only a few seats.

Still, the surge in popularity for Reform UK since Farage took the leadership this month risks depriving the Conservative Party of votes it desperately needs for a fifth term in office.

His comments sparked outrage on Saturday.

Home Secretary James Cleverly criticised Mr Farage for “repeating Putin’s vile justification for the brutal invasion of Ukraine.”

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Tobias Ellwood described the comments in the Daily Telegraph newspaper as “shocking”, adding that “Churchill will be turning in his grave”.

Meanwhile, Labour defence spokesman John Healey described the comments as “disgraceful” and said his stance made him “unfit for any political office in our country”.

When asked further about his opinion of Putin in the interview, Farage said he “doesn’t like him as a person” but admires him “as a political actor because he has managed to take over the leadership of Russia.”

Farage, the former figurehead of the Brexit pact, is close to former US President Donald Trump, who says he gets along “greatly” with Putin.

Farage has also spoken about his intention to run for Prime Minister in 2029.

He insisted that Sunak, Britain’s first black prime minister, did not understand “our culture”, responding to Sunak’s early departure from the D-Day commemorations in France.

In the interview, he made it clear that he meant Sunak as “too high-class”.

Farage’s comments on Sunak – which he made for the first time during a debate between political leaders – also drew criticism, with one Tory minister saying he found them “very uncomfortable”.