A Conservative frontbencher has accused both Nigel Farage and Donald Trump of “Putin apologism” over their response to the Ukraine war.
Although Vladimir Putin started the conflict by invading Ukraine in 2022, the US president has repeatedly blamed Kyiv for the ongoing battle, attacked Volodymyr Zelenskyy in public and suggested the beleaguered country will have to cede occupied land in the name of peace.
But the tide seemed to turn on Saturday when Trump, who is keen to fulfil his election promise and end the war as soon as possible, said he thought Putin might not want to end the conflict after all.
Meanwhile, Trump’s ally Farage, who has previously spoken of his admiration towards Putin, has recently started to distance himself from the Russian president.
The Reform UK even said Trump’s peace plan was rewarding Putin “too much”.
Speaking to LBC’s Lewis Goodall on Sunday, shadow levelling up and housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake accused both Farage and Trump of “Putin apologism”.
Goodall pointed out how Farage once said that Nato enlargement was a mistake and that was poking the Russian bear.
He asked the Tory MP: “Do you think that is Putin apologism?”
“I absolutely do, he’s let him completely off the hook,” Hollinrake replied.
Asked if he thought the same of Trump, the Tory frontbencher said: “Some of the things Donald Trump is doing, I agree with – some of the things, I disagree with.”
Goodall noted: “Trump’s been pretty friendly with Putin as well, he’s been way more friendly with Putin than Nigel Farage.”
The Tory replied: “Precisely, [there are] many things I disagree with – President Trump’s position on Russia is plainly flawed, wrong.
“If you think it is Ukraine’s fault that Russia invaded a peaceful democratic nation, then I really think you need to look at some of the details behind that kind of statement.”
Goodall said: “So do you think Trump is a Putin apologist as well?”
“Well of course, he has done that. Of course he’s done that. He has said that it is Ukraine’s fault that Russia invaded and Ukraine started the war,” Hollinrake said.
“That’s what he said.”
He added: “I’m worried about it.”
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