Boris Johnson has said Vladimir Putin will not use nuclear weapons, comparing the Russian president to “the fat boy in Dickens” who wants to “make our flesh creep” with hollow threats.
The former prime minister was speaking at a breakfast event on Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was introduced as a “legendary figure” in Ukraine.
Asked what he thought was going through Mr Putin’s mind, Mr Johnson warned against spending too much time obsessing about the Russian leader or worrying about the escalation of the conflict.
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Mr Johnson said: “Putin wants to present it as a nuclear stand-off between Nato and Russia. Nonsense. He’s not going to use nuclear weapons, OK. 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”, turn states such as China and India against him, and “terrify the Russians”.
“He’s not going to do it. Don’t go down that rabbit hole, stop it,” Mr Johnson added.
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The ex-prime minister 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.”
Mr Johnson continued: “What we’ve got to focus on is supporting Ukraine and giving Volodymyr Zelensky the tools he needs to finish the job. And they can win and they will win…
“Give them the tanks.”
Mr Johnson was joined on a discussion panel by speakers including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Yulia Svyrydenko, first vice prime minister of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Mr Zelensky reiterated his call for countries to move faster in supplying weapons as he addressed the event by video link.
“The vaccine against Russian tyranny is available,” he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are steering clear of the annual gathering of international movers and shakers in the exclusive Swiss ski resort, although the Government is being represented by Business Secretary Grant Shapps and International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch.
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