Nick Clegg: Nigel Farage is siding with Vladimir Putin

The Deputy Prime Minister accuses the Ukip leader of "siding with Vladimir Putin" after he said that the EU has "blood on its hands" following Russia's annexation of Crimea

Nick Clegg has accused Nigel Farage of “siding with Vladimir Putin” after the UK Independence Party leader said that the European Union has "blood on it hands" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Farage blamed the EU and the British Government for pursuing an "imperialist expansionist" policy in the east and giving "false hope" to people in the Ukraine.

Speaking during his LBC debate with Mr Clegg on Wednesday, he said that the EU's approach had inspired the Ukrainian people to topple the country's government and "provoked" military intervention by Russia.

Following their debate on the EU, Mr Clegg described Mr Farage’s comments as “insulting” and “extreme”.

The Deputy Prime Minister told LBC Radio: “I was extraordinarily surprised - if not shocked - that he agrees with Vladimir Putin. To somehow suggest that because of Nigel Farage’s loathing of the European Union - that is the reason why Ukrainian protesters sought to reclaim their own freedom and their own country on the streets of Kiev. I just think it’s really insulting to those people in Kiev who were simply standing up for values that we should share and support.

“For Nigel Farage to side with Vladimir Putin – well, he’ll have to explain why he did that. I was really astounded he did so.”

Mr Clegg added: “It shows quite how extreme people like Nigel Farage can be when their loathing of the European Union becomes so all-consuming that they even end up siding with Vladimir Putin in order to make their point.

“And to suggest that it’s somehow the European Union’s fault that the Ukrainian people rose up as many did on the streets of Kiev against their government...I just think is such a perverse way of looking at things.”

Protesters took to the streets of Kiev following president Viktor Yanukovych's decision to reject an association deal with the EU, preferring closer ties with Russia, with dozens killed in the violence.

Following his loss of power, the Russian-leaning Crimean peninsula has been effectively annexed by Moscow and there are fears that Mr Putin could make a move on the country's eastern regions.

Mr Farage emerged as the winner from the head-to-head debate with Mr Clegg over Britain's future in the European Union.

Some 57 per cent of those surveyed in a poll just after the debate thought the Ukip leader had performed best, compared with just 36 per cent for the Deputy Prime Minister.

The YouGov poll for The Sun indicated that one-in-five of those who identified themselves as Lib Dem voters thought Mr Farage won, with 77 per cent backing Mr Clegg and 3 per cent unsure.

Some 69 per cent of Tory voters and 42 per cent of Labour supporters also awarded the contest to Mr Farage.