Nigel Farage has been accused of “parroting” claims that Ukraine is at fault over the war with Russia in a brutal assault by the Tories and Liberal Democrats.
Speaking on LBC on Monday, the Reform UK leader accused Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky of “bowling in” to the White House last week and “showing no respect” to his US counterpart Donald Trump.
The pair had a bitter row live on television in the Oval Office, with Mr Trump saying the Ukrainian leader was “gambling with World War 3”.
Mr Farage argued: “I think President Zelensky was very unwise to tell the Americans what would happen to them if they didn’t back him.
“I think it was unwise. Yeah, sure, Vance and Trump bit back. But I think in diplomatic terms, I think Zelensky played it very badly.
“I wouldn’t expect a guest to be rude to me in my own house. Absolutely not. I would expect a guest with respect.”
Priti Patel slammed Nigel Farage for his comments (Image: Getty / LBC)
He also joined in criticism of Mr Zelensky for not wearing a suit to the White House, saying: “If I turned up to the White House, I’d make sure I was wearing a suit, my shoes were cleaned.”
Mr Zelensky has said he will wear military clothing while his country is at war and will resume wearing a suit when the conflict is over.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel compared Mr Farage’s comments to Jeremy Corbyn’s attempts to play down Russia’s culpability for the war.
Dame Priti blasted: “Nigel Farage is completely wrong. President Zelensky is a hero, who has stood up to Putin’s aggression, and led his country’s defence against their barbaric and illegal invasion over the last three years – and it is troubling to not hear the leader of Reform say that.”
The Tories have compared Nigel Farage to Jeremy Corbyn over the remarks (Image: Getty)
“For Nigel Farage to sit there pointing the finger at Zelensky is both morally wrong and diplomatically counterproductive.
“At this uncertain and dangerous time, one would hope that MPs of all stripes would be putting our national interest first, rather than playing politics.
“But sadly, it is not surprising. Like Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Reform UK seems to have history equivocating over Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Farage of “showing his true colours as Trump’s own spokesman here in Britain”.
“Zelensky showed courage and integrity in that room – in stark contrast to Farage’s cowardly approach of licking Trump’s boots,” said Sir Ed.
“Farage is more focused on promoting Trump and Musk’s interests in the UK than British interests in the States. He was once again parroting White House talking points this morning, to the dismay of British people here at home.
“It’s clearer than ever that Nigel Farage is simply out for himself and his Mar-a-Lago cronies.”
Mr Farage insisted: “I don’t agree with everything Trump does or says, of course, I don’t, but without America, we are defenceless.”
