G7 Leaders Mock Putin Riding Shirtless On Horseback, Agree Support To Defeat Russian President

Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2009 bare-chested photo atop a horse became a topic of discussion during the G7 Summit on Sunday.

The world leaders mocked Putin's tough-man image, joking about whether they should strip down to shirtsleeves or even less, reported MSN. As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sat down at the table in Bavaria's Elmau Castle, he asked, "Jackets on? Jackets off? Do we take our coats off?" During the summit of seven powerful democracies, the leaders -- from Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, the European Union, Canada and France -- pondered the dilemma.

Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, suggested that they wait for the official picture before disrobing. But then Johnson quipped that they have to show that they are "tougher than Putin." Referring to Putin's 2009 photo-op of himself riding shirtless on a horse, Trudeau said that they are "going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she finds horseback riding "the best." Johnson then said that they have got to "show them our pecs." Finally, the world leaders posed with their jackets on for photos.

New York Post reported that Putin has been clicked several times without a shirt on. In 2018, he defended his shirtless choice to some journalists, saying that he “has no need to hide." Putin told a journalist that when he is on vacation, he sees "no need to hide behind the bushes, and there is nothing wrong with that."

Meanwhile, at the summit, the world leaders discussed more serious matters. They talked about ways that they could further punish Putin and Russia for starting war with Ukraine in February. One of the moves the leaders proposed was banning gold imports from Russia.

U.S. President Joe Biden condemned Putin for the latest round of missiles that were fired at Kyiv Sunday, and said that it’s "more of their barbarism."

According to Bloomberg, the world leaders will commit to providing indefinite support to Ukraine for its defense against Russia’s invasion. A text of a draft statement from their summit said that they will continue to "provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes."