Vladimir Putin slams Western leaders who mocked him over shirtless photo
Vladimir Putin has no plans to rein in his cockiness.
The Russian president slammed Western leaders who mocked him this week for photos that show him riding a horse topless in 2009.
Putin addressed those remarks during a Thursday morning visit to Turkmenistan, where he said he couldn’t decide whether it would be less appealing to see G-7 members shirtless or with no pants.
“I think it would be a disgusting sight in any case,” the 69-year-old tyrant said.
The disparaging comments about Putin were made Sunday in Germany, where the G-7 Summit hosted heads of state from nations including the U.S., Germany, France and Canada. When it came time for a group photo, those leaders debated how they should pose. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wondered if they should remove their jackets.
“We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin,” Johnson joked.
Clockwise from left, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Joe Biden attend a G7 work session on Tuesday. (John MacDougall/)
Russia was booted from the Group of Seven — then called the Group of Eight — following Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“We’re going to get the bare-chested, horseback riding display,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is pictured with a horse during his vacation outside the town of Kyzyl in Southern Siberia on Aug. 3, 2009. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images/)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said sarcastically, “We’ve got to show them our pecs.”
‘Brokeback’ Putin posts photos from 67th birthday getaway in Siberia
That brought Thursday’s response from the perturbed Putin.
The former KGB agent suggested that to look good without clothing, “it’s necessary to stop abusing alcohol and other bad habits, do physical exercise and take part in sports.”
Vladimir Putin rides a horse while traveling in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region on Aug. 3, 2009. (Alexei Druzhinin/)
Among the concerns of Western leaders is Putin’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which he launched in February. Putin is frequently photographed cultivating his tough-guy persona by participating in physical endeavors including martial arts exhibitions and hockey games.
Among G-7 leaders, Trudeau is a known fitness buff and President Biden exercises frequently.
With News Wire Services
