Zack Polanski mocked for saying he’d ‘build a relationship’ with Putin | Politics | News
Zack Polanski has sparked backlash by saying he would seek to build a relationship with Vladimir Putin if the Green Party took power. He insisted it was important to “keep pushing for negotiation” with the Russian president despite his ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine. Mr Polanski told Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast: “I think it’s important that all politicians keep pushing for negotiation and keep pushing for diplomacy.
“If you’re not going to negotiate with someone, then you’re accepting that you’re going to war with them at some point. And I don’t think anyone is calling for a war with Russia or a war with Iran.” When pressed on whether he thought the Russian dictator could be trusted to abide by theoretical agreements, Mr Polanski added: “I don’t trust him for a second and I wouldn’t trust him either in a negotiation. But at the same time, you’ve got to build that relationship, and part of that is through exchange.”
One person wrote on X: “You must be totally naive if you think Putin can be trusted.”
Another mocked the idea of Mr Polanski “simply striking up a relationship” with the dictator and “becoming friends before convincing him to disarm”.
A third added: “Zack lives in la la land.”
The insurgent left-wing leader, whose party has soared in the opinion polls since he took the helm last year, has also suggested he would take Britain out of the NATO alliance, citing the growing unreliability of the US.
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He told the podcast: “Our core values [are] to protect people and to protect the planet … I think a lot of what I’m saying is basic common sense.”
Momentum around the Green Party is continuing to build ahead of the May local elections, boosted by a win at the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, when the Greens bested Labour and Reform to scoop the traditionally safe Greater Manchester seat.
