Nigel Farage’s controversial call for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia has sparked intense debate and immediate backlash. Here’s the full story.
No Stranger to Controversy
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, is no stranger to stirring up controversy. However, it seems that in the last few weeks, he may have finally found the limit of what the electorate is willing to put up with.
War in Ukraine Comments
Farage has upset a lot of people recently with his comments on the war in Ukraine, particularly following his most recent call for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to seek a peace deal with Russia.
Urging Peace Talks
Speaking to journalists from the Times and the Daily Mail, Farage urged Zelenskiy to come to the table with Putin: “otherwise, there will be no young men left in Ukraine.”
War at a Stalemate
He claimed that the war in Ukraine was at a “complete stalemate,” and added, “I think the number of lives being lost is horrific. There have been no sensible substantive negotiations of any kind and even if negotiations to try and find a peace, to try and find a way through fail, I think it’s better to have those negotiations than not.”
NATO and EU Expansion
Farage has faced significant backlash for his recent claims that the West provoked Russian aggression by expanding NATO and the European Union eastward.
Rally in Devon
He reiterated this perspective during a rally in Devon, stating, “In Ukraine, I said, don’t poke the Russian bear with a stick because if you do you will get a very predictable result.”
Condemning Putin’s Actions
Despite his condemnation of Putin’s actions in Ukraine as “reprehensible,” Farage’s stance has led to accusations of him being a Putin apologist, a label he strongly refutes.
Daily Mail Criticism
Farage also seemed angered by recent articles in The Daily Mail, which previously strongly supported both Brexit and Farage, who argued that his claims the West provoked Russia had crossed a line.
Papers Turned on Him
Speaking to supporters, Farage spent a long time bemoaning how the papers had turned on him, stating, “His Majesty’s Daily Mail, who have decided that I am one of the worst people that’s ever been born, not for the first time, just because I got up over 10 years ago and said that I felt the eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union would be used by a dangerous dictator as a reason to go to war.”
Controversial Comments by Malins
Farage is not the only Reform UK candidate whose comments have led to an outcry after Sainsbury’s Reform UK candidate, Julian Malins, suggested that Vladimir Putin “seemed very good” after a brief meeting with the Russian President.
Malins Clarifies Stance
Malins attempted to clarify his stance, asserting that “war is not about…running over thousands of young men in tanks and blowing them up because one person takes points of view which you disagree with.”
Outrage in Salisbury
The remarks have caused outrage as Malins’ constituency, Salisbury, holds significant relevance in the context of Russian aggression due to the 2018 novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
Novichok Poisoning
Though the assassination attempt on Sergei and Yulia Skripal failed, the attack resulted in the death of Dawn Sturgess and severe injury to her partner, Charlie Rowley.
Zelenskiy Rejects Concessions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has consistently rejected any proposals involving ceding territory already seized by Russia.
Support From Western Leaders
This position has been supported by Western leaders, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who, during the turbulent days of his time in Number 10, earned rare praise for his stalwart support for Ukraine.
Johnson Criticises Farage
Boris Johnson has been a vocal critic of Farage’s comments, accusing him of echoing “Kremlin propaganda.”
Johnson’s Post on X
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Johnson wrote, “This is nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda. Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody ‘poked the bear with a stick’. The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country.”
Right to NATO and EU
He added, “They were perfectly entitled to seek both Nato and EU membership. There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine – both in 2014 and 2022 – and that is Putin. To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putin’s lies.”
Calls for Peace Talks
Farage’s calls for peace talks, while aiming to reduce further loss of life, have been interpreted by many as either unwitting support for Putin and the Kremlin’s position or as a deliberate attempt to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty.
Electoral Struggles
As the tragedy of the conflict in Ukraine continues, it remains to be seen if Farage and his resurgent Reform UK Party will struggle electorally due to some of his and their other candidates, controversial statements.
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