Nigel Farage blasted over 'shocking statement' claiming West provoked Ukraine war
The Reform Party's leader wrote in a social media post in February 2022 that Putin's invasion of Ukraine was "a consequence of EU and Nato expansion".
Nigel Farage has been roundly condemned for saying the West is to blame for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an interview with the BBC.
The Reform Party's leader wrote in a social media post in February 2022 that Putin's invasion of Ukraine was "a consequence of EU and Nato expansion".
This echoed one of Putin's many justifications for launching his war just over two years ago.
In an interview with the BBC's Nick Robinson, Mr Farage was challenged about his tweet.
Mr Farage said he had been arguing since the 1990s that "the ever eastward expansion" of the Nato military alliance and the EU was giving President Putin "a reason to [give to] his Russian people to say they're coming for us again and to go to war".
He added: "We provoked this war. Of course, it's [President Putin's] fault."
But leading Tories have since hit out at Mr Farage, branding his claims an "insult to Ukrainian soldiers".
Former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns said: "Farage’s historical revisionism is an insult to all Ukrainian soldiers, and innocent men, women and children murdered by the Putin regime.
"It’s not a war, it’s a renewed illegal invasion. Ukraine and the West did nothing to provoke the autocrat and mass-murderer Putin."
And Tobias Ellwood, a former Defence Select Committee chairman, said: "Shocking statement. Churchill will be turning in his grave. This is why he should never lead the Conservative Party."
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Ukraine is not a member of the EU or Nato, which is made up of 32 countries across Europe and North America.
However, the country applied to join both blocs following the Russian invasion.
Finland and Sweden also decided to become full members of Nato, in a further blow to the Kremlin.
A US national security advisor told the Express that it was Ukraine's sovereign right to make decisions about its own security.
David Stuckenberg said: "At no point in the world should another nation dictate what a sovereign can do to ensure their peace, stability, and ultimately their well-being. That's tyranny, that's a bully mentality."
Ukraine gave up its arsenal of Soviet nuclear weapons in exchange for guarantees over it borders and security.
Know as the Budapest Memorandum the agreement was signed by Russia, the United States and the UK on December 5, 1994.
Putin has also alleged he is trying to "de-nazify" Ukraine, although the country is led by a Jewish President.