Bernie Ecclestone said he would "take a bullet" for Russian president Vladimir Putin because he is a "first class person" in a bizarre interview on ITV's Good Morning Britain this morning (Thursday 30 June). The former F1 boss was responding to co-host Kate Garraway's question about whether he still classes the Russian leader as a 'friend' since the war was waged in Ukraine.
Mr Putin and Mr Eccleston became firm friends in 2014 after the introduction of the Russian Grand Prix. Mr Eccleston further defended Mr Putin, adding: "What he's doing is something that he believed was the right thing that he was doing for Russia.
"Unfortunately he's like a lot of business people, certainly like me, that we make mistakes from time to time. And when you make mistakes, you have to do the best you can to get out of it."
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Referring to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Eccleston continued: "I think if it had been conducted properly... I mean the other person in Ukraine, his profession, I understand, he used to be a comedian. And I think, it seems, he wants to continue that profession.
"Because I think if he'd have thought about things, he'd have made a big enough effort to speak to Mr Putin. He's a sensible person and would have listened to him and probably done something about it".
A surprised-looking Ben Shephard soon interjected and reminded Mr Ecclestone that the war Mr Putin started in Ukraine has lead to "the death of thousands of innocent Ukrainians" and "a lot of Russian servicemen." He asked the 91-year-old: "You can't justify that, surely?"
Mr Eccleston responded: "It wasn't intentional." Kate Garraway clarified that Mr Ecclestone's stance was that Mr Zelenskyy should have done more to avert the war and that it could have been avoided by Mr Zelenskyy's actions and not the Russian leader's actions. Mr Ecclestone responded: "Absolutely."
It isn't the first time Mr Eccleston has publicly defended Mr Putin, either. The day after the Russian invasion began in Ukraine, 25 February, he told Times Radio that he found Mr Putin to be “straightforward and honourable."
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