Nigel Farage has defended his controversial claim that the West provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a statement that has drawn condemnation from political leaders

across the spectrum. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the Reform UK leader clarified that he has never been an "apologist or supporter of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," but added, "if you poke the Russian bear with a stick, don’t be surprised if he responds."

In a BBC Panorama interview, Farage acknowledged that the war was "of course" Putin's fault but argued that the expansion of the EU and NATO had given Putin a reason to alarm the Russian people by claiming, "they're coming for us again."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the interview, calling Farage's comments "completely wrong and only plays into Putin's hands," and accusing him of “appeasement” that jeopardizes Britain’s security. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer labeled the remarks "disgraceful," while Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey called Farage "an apologist for Putin." The SNP also criticized Farage, calling his comments "an insult to all Ukrainians who have suffered."

In his Telegraph article, Farage stated, "Don’t blame me for telling the truth about Putin’s war in Ukraine," emphasizing his desire to "set the record straight." He condemned the invasion as "immoral, outrageous and indefensible," asserting his stance as a champion of national sovereignty and criticizing Putin's actions.

"I have never sought to justify Putin’s invasion in any way and I’m not now. But that doesn’t change the fact that I saw it coming a decade ago, warned that it was coming, and am one of the few political figures who has been consistently right and honest about Russia’s Ukraine war," Farage wrote. He reiterated his warning against provoking Russia without the means or will to confront the consequences, saying, "poking a bear is obviously not good foreign policy." Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.