Well, he is showing leadership, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the UK Independence Party would have done exactly the same. 

The UK Independence Party has a policy of not getting involved in international conflicts unless they are clearly shown to be in the national interest or are required under treaty obligations or the international laws governing the protection of civilians.

In this case there was no treaty obligation. There was no international law governing the protection of civilians either. But the situation does meet the UK Independence Party’s third scenario of getting involved if clearly shown to be in our national interests.

Not getting involved in Ukraine could be even more dangerous to the UK. Consider the scenario if Russia were able to take the whole of Ukraine unopposed. That would embolden Russia and make them stronger. Russia would then control a huge area right next to NATO’s border. That would not be in the UK’s long-term national interests.

As with German aggression in the 1930s Russia could and probably would then walk into other European countries. NATO would then get involved. That would be a treaty obligation on the UK, which the UK Independence Party would gladly accept.

Russia would then have to be defeated, or else Russia could win more western European territory. If not stopped, Russia would eventually come for us and defeat our own nation too.

The UK Independence Party is not an apologist for Russia. We stand for an independent UK, and we will always defend our national freedom. Russia is authoritarian.

The UK Independence Party are libertarians, and we value our freedom, our freedom of speech and our freedom of expression. Ultimately, our party firmly supports NATO, and we would ultimately have had to join the fight to defend our own sovereignty. The only question is whether to resist Russia now or to fight them later.

On this point, the UK Independence Party has, for once, given Boris Johnson the benefit of the doubt.     

Steve Grimes

UK Independence Party Spokesman for Business, Trade and Foreign Affairs