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Nigel Farage says Putin is a ‘very bad dude’ after Russia accusations

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage delivers a speech at Blockworks' Digital Asset Summit: London, at Old Billingsgate in central London. Picture date: Monday October 13, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: James Manning/PA Wire — Reform UK leader Nigel Farage delivers a speech at Blockworks' Digital Asset Summit: London, at Old Billingsgate in central London. Picture date: Monday October 13, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: James Manning/PA Wire (James Manning/PA Wire)

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has labelled Vladimir Putin "a very bad dude" in an apparent effort to counter accusations about his stance on Britain's national security.
Farage stated he would back shooting down Russian jets entering NATO airspace and supported using frozen Russian assets to assist Ukraine.
These declarations follow his party's rise in the polls, with rivals questioning Reform UK's position on Moscow, referencing Farage's past admiration for Putin "as an operator".
He dismissed suggestions he is "soft" on Russia, asserting that Putin is "not a rational man" and that he had hoped Donald Trump would "bring Putin to heel".
Reform UK has faced pressure after Nathan Gill, a former party leader in Wales, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes for making pro-Russian statements.

Farage calls Putin a ‘very bad dude’ after being accused of being soft on Russia — In full