West provoked Ukraine war

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain's anti-immigration Reform UK party, faced strong criticism yesterday after saying that the West provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with the BBC on Friday, Farage said "we've provoked this war", while adding that "of course" it was Russian president Vladimir Putin's "fault".

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters that Farage's claim was "completely wrong and only plays into Putin's hands".

Labour leader Keir Starmer, who looks set to take Sunak's job after an election next month, said Farage's comments were "disgraceful".

"Anyone who is standing for parliament ought to be really clear that Russia is the aggressor", he told reporters on the campaign trail.

Farage, a former European Union parliamentarian who has tried and failed to run for Westminster seven times, is seeking a seat for Clacton in east England in the country's general election next month.

His party is polling third behind the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour parties, but is only predicted to pick up a few seats.

His comments met with outrage yesterday.

Interior minister James Cleverly criticised Farage for "echoing Putin's vile justification for the brutal invasion of Ukraine."

Former Conservative defence minister Tobias Ellwood called the comments "shocking" in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Meanwhile Labour's defence spokesman John Healey called the comments "disgraceful" and said his stance made him "unfit for any political office in our country".

Probed further on his views on Putin in the interview, Farage said that he "disliked him as a person" but "admired him as a political operator because he's managed to take control of running Russia".