BERLIN: Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have started the war in Ukraine if he was a woman, said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, days after G7 members mocked the bare-chested pictures of the Russian leader.
“If Putin were a woman, I just don’t think he would have launched such a macho war. If you want a very good example of toxic masculinity, we have that in his person,” Johnson told German broadcaster ZDF on Tuesday evening as he again scoffed off at the Russian President.
During his interview, the British PM also emphasized that everyone wants the Russia-Ukraine war to end. “But there is no possible deal. Putin makes no offer for a peace deal. Zelenskyy cannot offer a deal.”
Earlier on Sunday, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) had mocked Putin over his shirtless, bare-chested horse-riding picture. Boris Johnson and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau could be heard on a video joking about their impending photo shoot.
“Jackets on? Jackets off? Shall we take our clothes off?” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked other leaders sitting around a table. “We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin.”
“We’re going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display,” Trudeau quipped, referencing a widely shared photo of Putin. “There you go! There you go! We’ve got to show them our pecs!” Johnson responded.
Putin has often appeared shirtless in images disseminated by the Kremlin. Putin’s predilection for going shirtless doing outdoor activities is part of his carefully crafted strongman image. The Russian president is also an accomplished Taekwondo practitioner, The Hill reported.
The G7 leaders, Johnson and Trudeau joked about Putin during the G7 summit in the Bavarian Alps.
As the leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations gathered in the Bavarian Alps on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, President Joe Biden had said, “Together, the G7 will announce that we will ban the import of Russian gold, a major export that rakes in tens of billions of dollars for Russia.” (ANI)