BORIS Johnson has accused Nigel Farage of “parroting Putin’s lies” over the Ukraine conflict.
The former PM blasted the Reform leader after he declared the West provoked Russia’s invasion.
It came amid speculation that both men could try to salvage the Tory party after the expected defeat on July 4.
Mr Johnson spoke up after Mr Farage said: “If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, don’t be surprised if he responds.”
He accused his Brexiteer ally of spouting “Kremlin propaganda” and went on: “There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine — both in 2014 and 2022 — that is Putin.
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“To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putin’s lies.” Ex-Nato chief Lord Robertson claimed Mr Farage had “shown his real colours” with talk of “appeasement”.
He told LBC Radio: “One of my successors at Nato crisply summed it up — if Russia stops fighting, there will be peace. If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine.”
But Mr Farage defended his position at a rally in Maidstone, Kent yesterday. He said: “I would never, ever defend Putin and I think his behaviour in Ukraine and elsewhere has been reprehensible.
“But if we’re going to think towards a peace at some time . . . perhaps it might be helpful to understand what went wrong in the first place.”