To cheers from MPs, Keir Starmer told Nigel Farage ‘Russia is the aggressor, Zelensky is a war leader whose country has been invaded and we should all be supporting him and not fawning over Putin’
Nigel Farage quizzes Keir Starmer after statement on Ukraine
MPs cheered loudly as Keir Starmer ripped into Nigel Farage for “fawning” over Vladimir Putin.
The Prime Minister gave short shrift to a question from the Reform leader in a Commons statement on Ukraine, where he tried to push Donald Trump’s demand for Ukraine to hand over access to its valuable minerals to the US. The US President wants to claw back cash America spent on arming Kyiv against Russia.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Farage said: “It may be a great irony that a Remainer PM used Brexit freedoms as effectively as he did yesterday. Indeed, as No10 briefed, we are now in a unique position compared to the rest of Europe and yesterday was a triumph. I also applaud him for making such positive words about President Trump and our relationship with America, even if nobody behind him agrees.
“But here’s the key. President (Volodymyr) Zelensky has now accepted that he’s going to sign the mineral agreement with America and America is going to put in £100billion or whatever it is, and thousands of Americans are going to be in Ukraine. Is that in itself enough of a security guarantee?
MPs could be heard shouting “no” before Mr Farage continued: “Or does it mean that we need to send British troops, and if we do, given the size of our army, how many?”
To loud cheers from MPs, Mr Starmer replied: “The mineral deal is not enough on its own. Can I just remind him that Russia is the aggressor, Zelensky is a war leader whose country has been invaded and we should all be supporting him and not fawning over Putin.”
It comes after Mr Farage was condemned for suggesting President Zelensky was “rude” and “very unwise” in his meeting with Mr Trump in the White House on Friday. In scenes that reverberated around the world, Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader in appalling scenes in the Oval Office. The US President then turfed Mr Zelensky out of the White House without agreeing a deal on minerals.
Mr Farage told LBC he wouldn’t expect a guest “to be rude to me in my own home”. Asked if the pair bullied President Zelensky, he said: “I think President Zelensky was very unwise to tell the Americans what would happen to them if they didn’t back him. I think it was unwise. Yeah, sure, Vance and Trump bit back. But I think in diplomatic terms, I think Zelensky played it very badly.”
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.”
Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “Nigel Farage is once again showing his true colours as Trump’s own spokesman here in Britain. Zelensky showed courage and integrity in that room – in stark contrast to Farage’s cowardly approach of licking Trump’s boots.”
