Show Them Our Pecs! Here's How Justin Trudeau and Boris Johnson Are Mocking Putin As G7 Summit Begins

Six years after Russia was tossed out of the former Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations after invading and annexing Crimea, G7 leaders began their yearly summit on Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin top of mind.

At the 48th G7 Summit, taking place in Schloss Elmau, Germany, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson quipped about ways to intimidate Putin with a display of brawn.

What Happened: “Jackets on? Jackets off? Shall we take our clothes off?” Johnson joked in preparation for an unofficial photo the western leaders planned to have taken before lunch. “We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin,” he added.

“We’re going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display,” Trudeau bantered back, to which Johnson responded, “There you go! There you go! We’ve got to show them our pecs!”

See Also: Putin's Inner Circle Plotting Coup, Former CIA Official Says: 'It'll Happen All Of A Sudden And He'll Be Dead'

What The Jokes About: Over the years, Putin has been known to model his muscles for photographs in an attempt to show his strength, posing half-naked on a horse in 2009 and bare-chested fishing in 2017. The Russian leader, an avid sports fan, has also posed for photographs taking part in arm wrestling competitions, playing hockey and battling Olympic athletes in Judo, which Putin holds a black belt in.

The images, part of Putin’s carefully crafted brand of strength and power, have often resulted in endless memes and jokes across social media, but the Russian leader has unabashedly continued to showcase his mightiness until recently.

Putin is currently rumored to have rapidly progressing cancer and to be close to losing his eyesight, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov vehemently denies. Regardless, the once macho strongman’s public image has become tarnished after recent photos and videos have surfaced showing Putin shaking uncontrollably, sitting under a blanket and appearing to limp during Russia’s Victory Day parade last month.

Why It Matters: The European Union and NATO have so far been unsuccessful in stopping Putin’s most recent aggression in Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, despite heavy sanctions against Russia and billions worth of support for Ukraine’s military.

Previous to Trudeau and Johnson’s exchange, President Joe Biden announced a new ban on Russian gold imports, to further pressure Putin into backing down.

Neither the harsh economic penalties, military support for Ukraine or threats of undressing are likely to deter Putin, however, who views stopping NATO’s encroachment toward Russia as a top priority.

See Also: Putin Ally Declares Russia Will Target This City First If World War 3 Erupts

Photo: Created with images from ΝΕΑ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ, Province of British Columbia and Number 10 on Flickr