'Barechested Horseback Riding': G7 Leaders Make Fun of Putin's 'Toughness'

They were referring to a picture in which Putin is seen riding a horse barechested in southern Siberia 12 years ago.

Leaders of G7 nations enjoyed a humorous moment on Sunday, 26 June, when they made fun of Russian President Vladimir Putin's machismo at a meeting in Germany.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine reportedly dominated the agenda of the meeting, but that did not stop British Prime Minister Boris Johnson from asking his counterparts if they should undress themselves to be as macho as Putin.

He may have been referring to a picture of Putin in which he is seen riding a horse barechested during a hunting trip in southern Siberia 12 years ago.

"We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin," joked Boris Johnson, adding that the leaders should "show them (the media) our pecs."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined in on the fun and suggested "barechested horseback riding."

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, did not hold back either.

"Horseback riding is the best," she said.

Besides the image of him riding a horse half-naked, there have been other pictures of Putin released in the past that show a peculiar side of the Russian president.

One shows him sunbathing topless, while in another, he is seen swimming with dolphins.

As leaders of the G7 met in Germany on Sunday, one of the items on the agenda was a proposal to cap the price of Russian oil and pipeline gas in order to sanction Russia for its assault on Ukraine.

While Russian oil production has reduced due to sanctions, the revenue per barrel has spiked due to high global prices, which is $107.62 per barrel as of 24 June.

(With inputs from Reuters and The Guardian.)