Farage tells BBC Putin was given excuse by EU and Nato expansion, and that Brexit would have been better with him in charge

• Nigel Farage interviewed by Nick Robinson on Panorama election special – live

Nigel Farage has said the EU and Nato “provoked” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by expanding eastwards, as the Reform UK leader was challenged over a series of policies and beliefs in a sometimes combative TV interview.

Speaking to BBC’s Panorama on Friday evening, Farage also said Brexit would have benefited the UK economically if he had been running the country, and that many of the Reform candidates criticised for saying offensive things had been “stitched up in the most extraordinary way”.