Klitschko brothers make Boris Johnson an honorary citizen of Kyiv – as ex-PM tells Davos elite Putin WON’T USE nukes comparing him to ‘Dickens fat boy’ who “just wants to make your flesh crawl”
- Boris Johnson has been made an honorary citizen of Kyiv by boxing greats Klitschkos
- Mr Johnson attended a Ukrainian event at the World Economic Forum in Davos
- He rejected Vladimir Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons in the conflict
- Compared Putin to ‘fat boy Dickens’ who ‘wants to give you goosebumps’
Boris Johnson has been made an honorary citizen of Kyiv as he pleads with the Davos elite to step up their support for Ukraine.
The ex-PM received the award from great boxers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko – the latter now the city’s mayor – at the Swiss seaside resort last night.
Mr Johnson used a pro-British event at the World Economic Forum this morning to brush off nuclear threats from Vladimir Putin.
The former prime minister compared the Russian dictator to “Dickens’ fat boy”, saying he “just wanted to make you shiver”.
It’s a reference to the Pickwick Papers, where Joe reveals a secret to another character knowing it will bother them.
Mr Johnson also urged Western leaders to follow the UK’s lead by sending tanks to Kyiv. When another panelist used an ice hockey analogy to predict Russia’s next move, he quipped, “Tell Putin to get the puck out of Ukraine.”
Boris Johnson received the award from great boxers Wladimir (right) and Vitali (left) Klitschko – the latter is now the town’s mayor – at the Swiss station last night
Former boxers towered over Mr Johnson as they thanked him for supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
At a pro-Ukrainian event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Boris Johnson compared the Russian dictator to ‘Dickens’ fat boy’
Mr Johnson said over breakfast: ‘Putin wants to frame it as a nuclear showdown between NATO and Russia.’
‘Absurdity. He won’t use nuclear weapons, okay. He’s like Dickens’ fat boy, he wants to freak us out. He wants us to think about it. He never will.
He said such a move would put the Russian president in “complete economic cryogenic paralysis” and “terrify Russians”.
‘He’s not going to. Don’t go down this rabbit hole, stop it,’ Mr Johnson added.
The ex-prime minister also urged the public to “stop worrying about Kremlinology”, joking: “It’s hard to determine what’s going to happen in British politics, let alone in the Kremlin.”
Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland called for more Western support for Ukraine, saying: “I don’t skate where the puck is. I skate where the puck goes. This puck is going to the Ukrainian victory, so let’s skate there.
Mr Johnson chimed in: ‘Tell Putin to get the puck out of Ukraine’, prompting laughter from the audience.
Mr Johnson struck up a ‘bromance’ with Volodymyr Zelensky when he was Prime Minister, visiting Kyiv and speaking on the phone regularly, while urging fellow leaders to boost their support.
Rishi Sunak skipped the gathering of the power elite in Davos this year, sending business secretary Grant Shapps instead.
However, Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves are present.
Mr Johnson struck up a ‘bromance’ with Volodymyr Zelensky when he was Prime Minister, visiting Kyiv and speaking regularly on the phone, while urging fellow leaders to boost their support.
