Nigel Farage: Putin Made 'Disastrous Decision' With Invasion

Even if the Russians conquer Ukraine militarily, there will be a civil war there that goes on for years, and that shows Russian President Vladimir Putin made an "absolutely disastrous decision" in launching a full-out invasion on the neighboring country, former Brexit party leader Nigel Farage told Newsmax Saturday. 

"I think we all thought that Ukraine actually would fall in no time at all, that Russia would have so heavily outgunned Ukrainian forces, but the people are fighting for their homeland," Farage said on Newsmax's "Saturday Report," during an interview from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando.

With Ukraine fighting back so fiercely, Farage said he also wonders if Putin still "possesses the rational function" by deciding to invade. 

"If he carries on the way he is, what is next?" said Farage. "Is it Poland? Is it the Baltic states? So I think all of us and NATO must stand firm against this."

It was also a good sign that Turkey has blocked Russian Navy vessels from using the Black Sea for its attacks on Ukrainian targets, said Farage, because "everyone forgets this, but Turkey is a NATO member." 

Meanwhile, Europe is "horrified" at Putin's actions, but it is questionable whether President Joe Biden will lead the effort and be a leader for the organization. 

"NATO is nothing without America and the way that President Biden withdrew from Afghanistan last year, handing the country back effectively the Taliban without even referring or talking to your oldest military allies has left a big question mark," said Farage. "Is America still prepared to lead now…this is a very, very big moment and all those doubts about whether America still wants to lead the free world have been there since Afghanistan ended. And I would say this, President Biden should be in Europe now, sitting down with other NATO leaders, but he's not…somehow, somewhere can somebody please put that president of your country onto an airplane and tell him to take the lead?"

Farage also said that if former President Donald Trump was still in the White House, "none of this would be happening."

"Is he leading NATO?" Farage added. "Are we genuinely going to defend our fellow members of this organization? We need something now because I said he was this will now be part of Putin's calculation. He may well think that the west hasn't got the resolve to fight. This needs settling incredibly quickly."

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