In Great Britain and France, far-right forces try to distance themselves from Putin ahead of elections
As Politico writes , in Britain, the Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, is making efforts to shed its image as a political force sympathetic to the Russian leader. This is being done for both British voters, who largely support Ukraine, and for European partners.
Nigel Farage. Photo: AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Reform UK, which has a chance of success in the elections amidst the crisis among Conservatives and Labour, has repeatedly contacted European diplomats over the past six months. Party representatives assured that they support Ukraine's sovereignty and NATO's role in confronting Russian aggression. A meeting with Ukrainian representatives was also organized to express solidarity with their efforts in the war.
Farage himself, in October 2025, called Putin a "very bad guy," advocated for tougher measures against Russia, and supported using frozen Russian reserves for Ukraine's benefit. His deputy, Richard Tice, publicly characterized Putin's regime as a brutal tyranny. However, Farage had previously repeatedly expressed admiration for Putin and even claimed that the West itself "provoked" the war through NATO and EU expansion.
Recently, the party tried to definitively break with past ties by replacing the head of its Welsh branch after the predecessor was sentenced to a long prison term for receiving money from Russia.
Despite this, European diplomats view the change in Reform UK's rhetoric with caution. They are concerned not so much by the possibility of pro-Russian ties, but by the vagueness of the party's position and the absence of clear statements in support of Ukraine.
Similar processes are also taking place in France. The younger generation of politicians of the far-right "National Rally" party, associated with its leader Jordan Bardella, is striving not to be associated with Putin. Bardella, considered a possible frontrunner for the 2027 presidential elections, already supported arms supplies to Ukraine in 2024 and openly condemned Russian aggression.
According to Politico sources, there is a division within the party: older members often repeat Kremlin arguments, while Bardella's new team views Russia as a threat to France and Europe.
Breaking with Putin has become an important part of the "National Rally" leadership's strategy to enter the political mainstream and an attempt to attract a wider electorate.
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Comments
Справа не ў тым падабацца гэта ці не, але такія факты. Напрыклад Мелоні таксама абзывалі прарасейскай і крайнеправай, у тым ліку тут і тое цытаванае выданне, але ў выніку выявілася, што гэта зусім не так. І нават Politico было вымушана прызнаць яе палітыкам года.
Няўжо выбарцы падтрымліваюць такія ўльтраправыя пастулаты як вяртанне ранейшай бяспекі ў сваіх ЕЎРАПЕЙСКІХ краінах?
Напрыклад тут быў артыкул пра скандалы з вязніцы з няправільныя каментары ў UK? Або пра тое, як некаторыя прагрэсіўныя ўжо ў бел-чырвоным сцягу Англіі спрабавалі пабачыць расізм? Не? Дык можа варта было б напісаць, каб беларускія чытачы крыху зразумелі сітуацыю там.
Хіба, што лічыце, што хопіць абазваць ворагаў так і так ды людзі схаваюць, нібым беларуская і расейскія прапаганда, якая яшчэ з савецкіх часоў любіць абзываць фашыстамі іншадумцаў.