{"id":659302,"date":"2025-12-28T07:11:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T07:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/659302\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T07:11:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T07:11:24","slug":"heres-what-former-brexit-party-mep-david-coburn-has-said-about-russia-and-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/659302\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s what former Brexit party MEP David Coburn has said about Russia and Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

From <\/strong>claiming<\/strong><\/a> that Moscow\u2019s 2022 invasion of Ukraine would be \u201cquite a coup\u201d, to <\/strong>accusing<\/strong><\/a> the European Union (EU) of warmongering with Russia, Coburn has a history of statements arguably aligned with Kremlin talking points.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The arch-Eurosceptic frequently used Russian conflicts as a means to slam the EU, including while serving as a member of European parliament (MEP).<\/p>\n

Controversial claims included branding<\/a> the Liberal Democrats as \u201cquislings<\/a>\u201d \u2013 enemy collaborators \u2013 after its European voting bloc advocated Ukraine\u2019s EU membership.<\/p>\n

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Coburn expressed admiration<\/a> for Vladimir Putin. But he also criticised<\/a> the Russian president, alongside a relatively small number of negative comments about Moscow.<\/p>\n

In November, the leader of Reform UK Wales was sentenced<\/a> to more than a decade in prison after admitting receiving payments in return for making pro-Kremlin statements.<\/p>\n

Nathan Gill and Coburn went on a 2018 \u201cfact-finding mission\u201d to pro-Moscow TV channels in Ukraine, which the Kyiv government threatened with closure. The trip was paid for<\/a> by a front reportedly<\/a> created by Russian intelligence agents.<\/p>\n

Weeks later, the MEPs made statements citing press freedom issues in Kyiv, with Coburn questioning<\/a> whether Ukraine should be allowed to join the EU.<\/p>\n

Sentencing Gill, the judge said<\/a> he was paid for his statement<\/a>, which was \u201cmeticulously scripted\u201d by a former pro-Russian Ukrainian MP, Oleg Voloshyn.<\/p>\n

Other as-yet unnamed British former MEPs are reportedly<\/a> facing investigation by the Metropolitan Police\u2019s counter terrorism unit and, on 16 December, the Westminster government announced<\/a> a review into foreign financial interference.<\/p>\n

There is no suggestion that Coburn is under probe or knew the alleged Russian source of the trip\u2019s funding.<\/p>\n

But messages reportedly referred to in Gill\u2019s prosecution brought Coburn a flurry of media attention. Gill was said to have discussed bribes with Voloshyn, and references were made to money which was to be distributed to an MEP called David.<\/p>\n

Following these revelations, The Ferret trawled through Coburn\u2019s contributions to the European parliament, and hundreds of his posts about Russia<\/a>, Ukraine<\/a>, Moscow<\/a> and Putin<\/a> on the X platform, which spanned between 2012 and 2023.<\/p>\n

These are some of his most notable statements.<\/p>\n

\u2018When the tanks roll in\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coburn was critical of the EU\u2019s approach to Russia long before becoming an MEP. Writing on X in 2012, he said<\/a> \u201dEUcrats stick their noses into everything\u201d, including \u201cRussia’s affairs\u201d.<\/p>\n

He spoke favourably of the Russian president in 2013, commenting<\/a>: \u201cPutin’s confidence and [the] way he lectures US admin[istration] on democracy has given back pride to Russia\u201d. Coburn called for<\/a> a UK prime minister who would \u201cstick up for its citizens the way Putin does\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In February 2014, Moscow invaded<\/a> Crimea and a war between Russian-backed separatists and Kyiv government forces in eastern Ukraine followed. In March, Coburn wrote<\/a> on X: \u201cI like any country that defends its national sovereignty and [is] willing to defend itself if necessary\u201d.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On 1 July 2014, Coburn was elected as a UKIP MEP for Scotland, and appointed as party leader north of the border. In September, he claimed<\/a> the EU did not understand Putin, but \u201cwill when the tanks roll in \u2013 just sayin #Ukraine\u201d.<\/p>\n

In the following months, he told MEPs<\/a> that EU \u201cinterference in Ukraine was close to causing war\u201d, and opposed<\/a> the EU\u2019s \u201cfoolish\u201d association agreements with Georgia and<\/a> Moldova, citing Moscow\u2019s military capabilities.<\/p>\n

In 2015 he said<\/a> the EU should \u201cstop arguing\u201d with Moscow over the annexation of Crimea and \u201cbe friendly\u201d with Russia due to their \u201ccommon enemy\u201d in the rising Islamic State.<\/p>\n

\u2018So-called Russian propaganda\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2016, the MEP, who made regular appearances on Kremlin-backed news outlet Russia Today (RT) \u2013 as did British politicians from across the political spectrum \u2013 came to its defence<\/a>. When RT\u2019s UK bank account was frozen, Coburn pledged to “do everything” to support it.<\/p>\n

But later that year, Coburn, who is gay, told MEPs<\/a>: \u201cMr Putin is no angel. He locks up homosexuals and does all sorts of appalling things.\u201d Coburn had previously stated<\/a> on X, in 2014, that \u201cno one in Russia has been arrested for being homosexual\u201d and that he was planning<\/a> a trip to the country.<\/p>\n

In January 2018, Coburn challenged<\/a> parliamentary discussions around \u201cso-called Russian propaganda in EU countries\u201d, adding that he was \u201cmore concerned with EU propaganda than the clunky Russian version\u201d.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Eurosceptic former MEPs benefit from luxury EU pensions<\/p>\n

A German MEP has accused Eurosceptic former UK MEPs of hypocrisy for signing up to a taxpayer-funded, luxury top-up pension fund, which has an \u201calmost criminal energy\u201d. Daniel Freund, a Green MEP and member of the European Parliament\u2019s budgetary control committee, said it was \u201cincredible\u201d that European Union taxpayers<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

He made reference to RT, which was accused<\/a> of pushing disinformation and later fined for<\/a> breaching UK impartiality rules. The network gave UKIP \u201ca voice\u201d when the party was not covered by the BBC, and was \u201cdefending freedom\u201d, which the EU aimed to \u201cclose down\u201d, he said, adding: \u201cSo thank god for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

During an October debate, Coburn said he was \u201cas concerned as next man\u201d about Russian activity in the UK, referencing the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England, of which Moscow was accused. But he added: \u201cIf we don\u2019t do business with Russia there will be enormous trouble. It\u2019s better to do business with them than to fight them, would you not agree?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Quite a coup\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

From 30 October to 1 November 2018, Coburn, Gill and another MEP, Jonathan Arnott, travelled<\/a> to Ukraine to meet representatives of pro-Russia TV networks.<\/p>\n

Later in November, Coburn claimed on X<\/a> that in its opposition to nuclear weapons, the SNP \u201cplay into Putin\u2019s hands\u201d. Minutes later, he posted<\/a>: \u201cEU has expansionist plans eastward and make no mistake Putin will be watching\u201d.<\/p>\n

Coburn announced he was quitting UKIP<\/a> on 6 December 2018, citing its shift to the far right.<\/p>\n

On 11 December, he told parliament<\/a> the Kyiv government was not upholding press freedom and accused it of plotting to close the TV channels he had visited. \u201cCan this chamber truthfully say that the Ukraine which behaves this way is ready for EU entry?\u201d, he asked.<\/p>\n

\"\"Entrance of the Louise Weiss building, seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Credit:olrat<\/a><\/p>\n

Coburn officially<\/a> became an independent MEP on 9 January 2019 and joined Farage\u2019s new Brexit Party on 12 February.<\/p>\n

Gill and Coburn went on to join<\/a> the \u201cinternational editorial board\u201d of one of the TV stations and hosted an event<\/a> for it at the European Parliament alongside Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russia Ukrainian oligarch who reportedly<\/a> owned the channel and counts Putin as his daughter\u2019s godfather.<\/p>\n

Media reports<\/a> citing prosecution documents state that on 3 April, Gill and Medvedchuk exchanged messages in which they discussed plans for money to be distributed between Gill and “the other MEP”, called “David”.<\/p>\n

Coburn\u2019s term as an MEP ended on 1 July. The following year, he wrote<\/a> on X: \u201cIf Russia invaded Ukraine at [the] same time as China invaded Taiwan that would be quite a coup\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018Excuses for Putin\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our research prompted several politicians to condemn Coburn\u2019s statements.<\/p>\n

The SNP\u2019s Colin Beattie, who chairs Holyrood cross-party group on Ukraine, said: \u201cDavid Coburn\u2019s alleged involvement with the scandal surrounding the Russian state bribing Nathan Gill is of no surprise when you investigate his past statements on Russia\u2019s illegal war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis abhorrent comments merely parroted Kremlin propaganda such as accusing Ukraine and the EU of being the cause of the war among other ridiculous assertions which must be challenged for the lies they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lib Dem MP Susan Murray said: \u201cDavid Coburn was paid to represent Scotland but what he actually did was spend his time waltzing round Europe making excuses for Putin. It seems unlikely that David Coburn will be returning to the political frontline anytime soon but there is still an urgent need to Putin-proof our politics so that bad actors cannot exploit our political system to deliver Kremlin talking points.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Coburn was paid to represent Scotland but what he actually did was spend his time waltzing round Europe making excuses for Putin.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Coburn\u2019s former MEP colleague, Jonathan Arnott, told The Ferret about his \u201cstrange\u201d trip to Ukraine with Coburn and Gill.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, I believed the choreographed feel to be merely a result of TV channels fighting for their survival,\u201d he said. \u201cWe met journalists who had been assaulted (widely reported<\/a> in the UK at the time). We spoke to both sides, including Ukrainian authorities, which formed the rationale for my speech.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arnott said he was not aware the trip\u2019s funder was reportedly<\/a> a Russian spy front with the same name as a genuine organisation, but would have \u201cconsidered it too fanciful to be a spy novel\u201d. He added: \u201cLooking back seven years later, and now knowing the nature of the funding, the biggest frustration is that I can no longer believe the evidence of my own eyes and ears. Maybe I’ll never know what was true and what wasn’t.”<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cMy speech<\/a> in the European Parliament criticised Russia up-front and is clearly written in my own style. I tried to change a European Parliament resolution to add more criticism of Russia, and shortly afterwards I criticised Russia for seven different things in a single speech.”<\/p>\n

The Ferret attempted to contact David Coburn.<\/p>\n

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