Vladimir Putin says other world leaders would look 'disgusting' topless

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides a horse while travelling in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, August 3, 2009. Photo / AP

OPINION:

Russian president Vladimir Putin did not like to hear that the G7 leaders were making fun of his topless horseback riding photos at the summit this week.

Upon hearing that the G7 leaders had been mocking him, Putin decided to take a momentary break from thinking about killing people in Ukraine to comment on what he thinks, in his mind, other world leaders would look like undressed, "above or below the waist".

"I think that would be a disgusting sight," Putin said, referring to the idea of seeing the G7 leaders without their clothes on, as they joked about doing during the summit this week.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson both joked about taking their clothes off for photos to "show that we're tougher than Putin".

"Jackets on? Jackets off? Shall we take our clothes off?" Johnson joked as the leaders posed for photos.

"We all have to show them we're tougher than Putin," he added.

"We're going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display," Trudeau chimed in.

Putin decided to address the jokes with some health and beauty advice that he thinks he is qualified to dish out: "Everything must be harmonically developed in a man both the body and soul but for everything to be harmonious it's necessary to stop abusing alcohol and other bad habits, do physical exercise and take part in sports," he said.

Putin gestures as he speaks to the media after the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 30, 2022. Photo / AP

"All the colleagues you just mentioned, I know them personally, we are currently not in the best period of our relationship," he added, in what has to be the understatement of the week.

"But nevertheless they are leaders, meaning they have character and if they want they can surely achieve the desired success."

Putin's response also referenced poet Alexander Pushkin, who wrote that "one can still be a man of action, and mind the beauty of one's nails".

Meanwhile, war rages on in Ukraine, with no end in sight.