Putin hits out at leaders’ physique
Russian President Vladimir Putin shot back at Western leaders who mocked his athletic exploits, saying they would look “disgusting” if they tried to emulate his bare-torso appearances.
Putin made the comment during a visit to Turkmenistan when asked about Western leaders joking about him at the G7 summit.
As they sat down for talks, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson jested that G7 leaders could take their clothes off to “show that we’re tougher than Putin” amid Russia-west tensions over Moscow’s military action in
Ukraine.
Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, said the pair should go “bare-chested horseback riding”, while Johnson said they should “show them our pecs”.
Speaking to reporters, Putin retorted that, unlike him, Western leaders abuse alcohol and don’t do sports. “I don’t know how they wanted to get undressed, above or below the waist,” he said.
“But I think it would be a disgusting sight in any case.”
He noted that to look good “it’s necessary to stop abusing alcohol and other bad habits, do physical exercise and take part in sports”.
The latest exchange came after Johnson and Ben Wallace, the UK Defence Secretary, criticised Putin for being “macho” and a “lunatic”.
“If you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it’s what he is doing in Ukraine,” Johnson said.
Wallace, who has previously accused Putin of going “full tonto” by invading Ukraine, doubled down on the Prime Minister’s comments.
“I certainly think Putin’s view of himself and the world is a small man syndrome, macho view,” he said.