Nigel Farage's comments about Vladimir Putin were "simply unacceptable," political commentator Emma Burnell has said.
The controversial politician last night said that the West has "provoked this war" as he blamed Nato and EU expansion for Putin's invasion.
“I said I disliked him as a person, but I admired him as a political operator because he’s managed to take control of running Russia," the Reform UK leader told the BBC when quizzed on his past opinions of the Russian president.
Speaking about his remarks on GB News, Burnell said: " Please give me a break. Provocation is never the right answer to these sorts of things.
Emma Burnell fumed over Nigel's comments
GB News
"Putin was going to do what Putin was going to do and the idea that we are trying to put in place some sort of protection because we knew that was coming is just so disgusting to me."
However, journalist Suzanne Evans argued: "I think he has a point, Nigel Farage said he warned about this and he was absolutely right. He did.
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Nigel Farage said that the West has "provoked" the war in Ukraine
PA"In 2014 he stood up in the European Parliament and he said, look, if you allow Ukraine to join Nato and the European Union, which Ukraine wanted to do, and I absolutely don't blame them for that.
"They know what it's like suffering under communism. They are a newly established democracy. Of course, they wanted to get into bed with their more liberal neighbours.
"I don't think Nigel blames them for that either. The question is, he predicted this and now he was right. And at the time he was pooh poohed for it and everyone said, don't talk rubbish.
"He was right. He said, don't poke the Russian bear. He will respond. And that is what happened."
Emma said it was "simply unacceptable"
GB News
Burnell hit back: "I just I'm so angry about this. Nigel Farage is running to be a legislator in our parliament.
"It is vital that we know what they think when they're voting on things like defence.
"Making sure that we are standing up to aggressors. When they say that those aggressors were provoked, that is simply not acceptable in our legislation. It is not what you want in your Parliament.
"Do you want somebody who is going to stand up against aggression and who understands?"
Suzanne Evans defended Farage
GB News
Evans responded: "The other thing I think that people are forgetting in this is that Nigel Farage very clearly condemned Putin in that interview and said he was wrong.
"There is a massive difference between saying somebody is wrong, but also explaining why they did something.
"If we get to a situation where we are not allowed to criticise what international leaders do and this is why they've done it, I think we're in a very sad state of affairs. Everything before the but doesn't count."
