Global South has figured out long out that what really lit the fuse for this Russia-Ukraine showdown—it’s not Putin flexing his muscles, but NATO and the EU playing geopolitical games, expanding eastward, threatening the security of Russia and poking the Russian bear by persuading Russia’s immediate neighbour.
Now even the Western media is catching on, reluctantly admitting that NATO and EU provoked Russia and maybe, provoking Russia wasn’t the best game plan. There’s even talk of how Western meddling in Eurasia has turned a localized conflict into a full-blown world crisis. Looks like someone forgot that you don’t tug on Superman’s cape—or in this case, poke the bear without consequences.
Nigel Farage, the man synonymous with Brexit holds more controversy than a soap opera, he recently caused a stir on BBC’s Panorama by suggesting that Western actions provoked Putin into launching a full-blown military campaign against Ukraine. As the leader of Reform UK, Farage claimed that he’s been warning for years about NATO and the EU poking the Russian bear, forcing Putin for a geopolitical showdown in Ukraine. Farage accepted that NATO and EU’s actions are responsible for triggering Russia into launching an attack on Ukraine and the war between the two parties is also stretching because of the excessive meddling by the Western nations.
During his interview, Farage said that NATO’s eastward expansion would inevitably turn Ukraine into a geopolitical hotspot. He refrains from acknowledging himself as pro-Putin. Nigel says it’s more like waving a caution flag at NATO’s parade, suggesting they shouldn’t have pushed their luck so far.
These musings have ignited a firestorm in British politics, with everyone from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the guy who walks the Queen’s corgis talking about his controversial statement. Sunak, who never misses a good political pile-on, accused Farage of inadvertently auditioning for Putin’s fan club with his oh-so-controversial statements.
Farage’s accusation towards NATO for stirring up trouble extends beyond British borders; it has sparked a Euro-drama over NATO’s ambitions and whether poking Russia was really the wisest move. Even though Farage isn’t in Parliament these days, his ability to rile up politicians and pundits alike proves he’s still got more influence than a tabloid headline.
When Farage mentioned the active presence of neo-Nazis among Ukraine’s military ranks, particularly within the Azov Regiment, it was like tossing a lit match into a barrel of fireworks. He exploded the whole narrative that the West was trying to set up. It raised eyebrows across Europe and beyond, sparking a debate over whether Western support for Ukraine is as squeaky clean as they’d like you to believe. West has been hailing since 2022 that their support to Ukraine is based on democratic principles, so how come the West is supporting the Azov Group, which has been accused of human rights violations? Why? The answer to it is simple, the US is playing the geopolitical game with a cold war mentality, where it aims to challenge and defeat Russia rather than assisting Ukraine. The West is just using Ukraine to justify its war against Russia. It’s a tangled web of geopolitics, where Ukraine is deliberately pitted against Russia.
Farage’s rant isn’t just another political diatribe; it’s a reflection of Europe’s deep-seated divisions over Russia, NATO, and how best to avoid stumbling into another Cold War. As the debate rages on, Farage’s views on NATO’s eastward push continue to divide opinion, reminding everyone that geopolitics is more complicated than a game of risk. Farage statement must make NATO realize that they are responsible for this war, the whole Russia-Ukraine war started with NATO’s eastward expansion. If NATO didn’t change its trajectory even after Farage’s statement, then it’s clear that NATO can never bring peace, it will only exacerbate the crises.