Boris Johnson has compared Vladimir Putin with “the fat boy in Dickens” who wants to “make our flesh creep” with threats of using nuclear weapons.
Speaking at a breakfast event on Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the former prime minister said: “Putin wants to present it as a nuclear stand-off between between Nato and Russia.
“Nonsense. He’s not going to use nuclear weapons, okay. He’s like the fat boy in Dickens, he wants to make our flesh creep. He wants us to think about it. He’s never going to do it.”
He said such a move would put the Russian president into “a complete economic cryogenic paralysis” and “terrify the Russians”.
“He’s not going to do it. Don’t go down that rabbit hole, stop it,” Mr Johnson added.
The ex-PM also urged the audience to “stop worrying about Kremlinology,” quipping: “It’s difficult to work out what’s gonna happen in UK politics, let alone in the Kremlin.”
Canada’s deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland called for more Western support for Ukraine, saying: “I don’t skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going. This puck is going to Ukrainian victory, so let’s skate there.”
Mr Johnson then chimed in: “Tell Putin to get the puck out of Ukraine”, prompting laughter from the audience.
The former PM received the title of “Honorary Citizen of Kyiv’ at the event by the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko.
More follows.
Boris Johnson receives the title of “Honorary Citizen of Kyiv” from Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko, in Davos
Former PM says Putin wants ‘to make our flesh creep’
