The Conservatives have drawn a comparison between Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn following Farage’s remarks that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “rude” to Donald Trump, and also critiqued the Ukrainian president for not wearing a suit during his visit to the Oval Office.
The Liberal Democrats accused Farage of echoing the White House’s line after he dismissed claims that Elon Musk and Steve Bannon had made Nazi salutes, asserting their gestures were “out to the side and not in front”.
Speaking on LBC radio, Farage found fault with the support given to Zelenskyy after his encounter with Trump and JD Vance on Friday, which resulted in his visit to Washington being cut short.
“I believe President Zelenskyy was unwise to instruct the Americans on the consequences if they didn’t support him,” Farage stated. “It was an ill-advised move. Vance and Trump responded accordingly. But in diplomatic terms, I think Zelenskyy mishandled the situation.”
When asked whether Trump and Vance had reacted appropriately to Zelenskyy, Farage responded, “I wouldn’t expect a guest to be disrespectful in my home, not at all. Guests should treat me with respect. That doesn’t imply I’m defending what Vance and Trump did.”
Zelenskyy’s attire—a black fatigue-style outfit—in Washington was criticized by Farage, who expressed sympathy for views suggesting the outfit lacked respect, particularly considering a journalist had pressed Zelenskyy on wearing a suit.
“If I were to visit the White House, I’d ensure I was dressed in a suit and had clean shoes,” Farage stated.
Farage further implied that Zelenskyy could have been more diplomatic, noting that the Prime Minister had been well prepared for the White House visit, unlike the Ukrainian president.
Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, drew parallels between Farage and Corbyn, suggesting Farage’s historical softness on Russia’s actions in Ukraine was being reflected again in his critiques of Zelenskyy.
Patel commented, “Nigel Farage is entirely wrong. President Zelenskyy is a hero leading his country’s defense against Russia’s invasion. Not hearing Reform’s leader acknowledge this is disconcerting.”
“For Farage to criticize Zelenskyy in this way is both ethically wrong and diplomatically counterproductive. During such a critical time, one hopes all politicians prioritize national interests over politics.”
Answering a caller questioning his participation in the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland, Farage defended his decision, brushing off Steve Bannon’s fascist-style salute as a mockery of Elon Musk’s similar gestures at Trump’s inauguration.
Farage insisted, “Are these gestures Nazi salutes? I don’t think so. They’re more one-sided and not the traditional gesture dimethyl. Do I believe Musk is a Nazi? Absolutely not.”
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, accused Farage of demonstrating his true allegiance to Trump, contrasting it with the courage and integrity shown by Zelenskyy in his interaction with Trump.
