'Putin apologist' Donald Trump's Russia stance is 'plainly flawed' says Tory shadow minister

As US president Donald Trump continues to push for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine - including sitting down with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday (April 26) - a Conservative shadow minister has slammed the Republican as a “Putin apologist” whose stance on Russia is “plainly wrong”.

Trump has previously attacked Zelensky for refusing to recognise Crimea as part of Russia under a potential deal and claimed Putin’s failure to seize the entirety of Ukraine is a “pretty big concession”.

According to Reuters, Washington’s peace proposals include the recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and give de facto US recognition of Russian control of the occupied eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, as well as parts of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Kherson.

Even Reform UK and Trump ally Nigel Farage has said Russia seems to be “getting far too much” under current proposals - though the aforementioned Tory MP in question, Kevin Hollinrake, also accused the staunch Brexiteer of “Putin apologism”.

“He’s let him completely off the hook,” Hollinrake added, in an interview with LBC’s Lewis Goodall on Sunday.

Turning to Trump, the shadow housing secretary went on to say: “President Trump’s position on Russia is plainly flawed, wrong.

“If you think it is Ukraine’s fault that Russia invaded a peaceful democratic nation, then I really think you need to look at some of the details behind that kind of statement.”

Pressed by Goodall on whether he thinks Trump is also a Putin apologist, Hollinrake replied “of course he has”.

“He has said that it’s Ukraine’s fault that Russia invaded and Ukraine started the war – that’s what he said.

“I’m worried about [that]. Are you not worried about it,” he said.

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