Tories slam 'morally wrong' Nigel Farage after he tells LBC Zelenskyy is to blame for Trump row
by Henry Moore · LBCExclusive
Nigel Farage takes questions from LBC callers
By Henry Moore
The Conservatives have hit out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage after he told LBC President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to blame for Friday's disastrous meeting with Donald Trump.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Reform leader said Ukraine was closer to striking a peace deal now than before Friday's Oval Office clash, adding that Zelenskyy has to "wake up and smell the coffee".
The Reform leader's comments follow Friday's tense showdown in Washington, with Ukraine's President 'kicked out' of the White House following a fiery exchange with Trump in the Oval Office.
The proposed rare minerals deal, that could act a backstop for any peace deal with Russia, remained signed.
Speaking on with Nick on Monday, Mr Farage added: "I actually think good is going to come of Friday".
"Zelensky is going to sign the deal. It's about how we put together security package so Putin can't do this again."
Nigel Farage on Trump-Zelenskyy clash
"Whatever the spat that occurred between Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy, let’s look at the bigger picture," said Farage.
"We, after three years of war, after the Putin invasion and a million battle casualties - it’s unbelievable, isn’t it?"
Read more: Defiant and unrepentant: My meeting with Zelenskyy, writes Andrew Marr
"[We] have a situation now where we either go for a peace deal or this continues for year, after year, after year - I know Boris Johnson has been the biggest proponent of total war - but the truth is, and this is what Zelenskyy will have to face up to, the truth is, the longer the war goes on, the more it suits Russia.
Farage added: "And wars either end in a deal or they end in annihilation."
He continued by saying Zelenskyy realised rapidly that he had “overplayed his hand” during the Oval Office altercation with Trump.
"I think he played it badly....I wouldn't expect a guest to be rude in my house. If I turned up at the White House I'd make sure I was wearing a suit and my shoes were clean."
Hitting back at Farage's comments, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said: “Nigel Farage is completely wrong. President Zelenskyy 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 3 years - and it is troubling to not hear the Leader of Reform say that.
“For Nigel Farage to sit there pointing the finger at Zelenskyy 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.”
Zelenskyy was accused of being "disrespectful" by Trump and his Vice-President JD Vance during Friday's White House clash, with Zelenskyy refusing to apologise - a shock encounter that was labelled an "ambush" by many.
Following the confrontation, Sir Keir Starmer met with European nations to lay down a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war and defend the country from Russia.
The reported truce plan was proposed by France and Britain during Sunday's crunch talks in London, but it is understood nothing has been formally agreed at this stage.
European leaders attending included Macron, von der Leyen and Starmer - with the heavyweights banding together in support of Ukraine in the hours that followed.
A late-night statement from No 10 saw the Prime Minister express his 'unwavering support for Ukraine' - as it revealed Starmer had spoken to both Trump and Zelenskyy following the fallout.
It comes as Zelenskyy told LBC on Sunday ahead of his return to Ukraine prepared to return to US for "constructive dialogue" after disastrous talks in the White House.
The Ukrainian President said his heated conversation with President Trump could have been avoided if it was not as "open" as the meeting can be "exploited by foes".
He told LBC's Andrew Marr that emotions and information could be taken advantage of by "foes" when broadcast across the world.
"I do not think that we shall carry on in such format to build strong relations," he said.
"I do not think that it brought something positive or additional to us as partners," Mr Zelenskyy told Andrew Marr.
Speaking on the Oval Office confrontation, Zelenskyy said told LBC that he did not want to discuss what happened - but that he would go back to Washington for peace talks.
He said the invite to the White House was a great "gesture of respect", and he is grateful to the US as their "main partners" in the conflict.
"We always try to be politically correct, as correct as possible.
"I'm president of Ukraine, and I do not perceive my country as better than others, but definitely not worse than others," he said.