In the United Kingdom, Nigel Farage from the nationalist Reform UK party has sparked outrage with his recent comments on the public broadcaster BBC. The right-wing populist politician made controversial remarks on the war in Ukraine, claiming that the West had “provoked” it. This comes less than two weeks before the parliamentary elections.
Farage, known for his former role as a face of Brexit, stated that he had been warning the European Parliament since 2014 about the possibility of a war breaking out in Ukraine. He believed that the expansion of NATO and the European Union to the east would give Russian President Vladimir Putin a reason to start a war by claiming that they were targeting Russia. Farage said that he believed the West provoked the war, and Putin used it as an excuse to take action.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak quickly responded to Farage’s comments, labeling them as “completely untrue.” Sunak criticized Farage for playing into Putin’s hands and called his statements dangerous for the security of the UK and its allies. Labor leader Keir Starmer and Liberal Party leader Ed Davey also condemned Farage’s remarks, calling them outrageous.
