The leaders of the Group of Seven Rich Nations mocked the macho image of Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Germany, dominated by the Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine.
As leaders sat for their first meeting since the three-day G-7 summit in the hot Bavarian Alps on Sunday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked if their jackets should be taken off – or even taken off.
“We all need to show that we are tougher than Putin,” Johnson said, to make some of his colleagues laugh. Johnson suggested that leaders “show them their breasts.”
“Horseback riding with bare breasts,” suggested Canadian Justin Trudeau. “Oh, yes,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Riding is the best.”
Putin has been depicted several times shirtless in photos published by Russian state media, including a set in which he rides a brown horse while wearing sunglasses, a gold chain and army trousers.
Another 2010 image shows Putin with a bare chest carrying a shotgun while traveling in southern Siberia, while another shows the Russian leader wearing a waterproof suit wearing artifacts found while diving at an archeological site off the Taman Peninsula.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin rides a horse in the Tuva region of southern Siberia in 2009. Photo: RIA Novosti / Reuters
Other photos published over the past decade show Putin sunbathing topless, swimming with dolphins and riding a submarine near the Baltic island of Gotland.
At the G7 summit, leaders discussed efforts to further isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which has killed thousands and driven millions from their homes.
Britain, Canada, Japan and the United States have proposed a ban on gold imports from Russia, targeting wealthy Russians who buy bullion to reduce the financial impact of Western sanctions.
Leaders gathered in the Bavarian Alps are also expected to discuss possible restrictions on Russian oil prices and efforts to tackle rising global food and energy prices.
Reuters contributed to this report
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