Boris Johnson and G7 leaders ridiculed Vladimir Putin during extraordinary banter before summit talks today.
The PM, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and European commission president Ursula von der Leyen all mocked the Russian dictator as they sat down for discussions in Bavaria.
In a reference to Putin’s notorious macho photo ops, they suggested doing some ‘bare chested horseback riding’ to show they were ‘tougher’ than him.
The undiplomatic chat risks further inflaming tensions amid the standoff over Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
It happened with cameras rolling as they gathered around a table with US president Joe Biden. Mr Johnson said: ‘Jackets on? Jackets off? Shall we take our clothes off?’
When Mr Trudeau suggested they waited until after the official picture was taken despite the heat in the room, Mr Johnson quipped: ‘We have to show that we’re tougher than Putin.’
Mr Trudeau added: ‘We’re going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display.’
Mr Johnson can then be heard…
