Boris Johnson compares Putin to a ‘Dickensian fat boy’

Boris Johnson has compared Vladimir Putin with “the fat boy in Dickens” who wants to “make our flesh creep” with threats of using nuclear weapons. Speaking at a breakfast

event on Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the former prime minister insisted that the Russian president would not resort to using nuclear weapons, dismissing the idea

as “nonsense”. He said: “Putin wants to present it as a nuclear stand-off between between Nato and Russia. “Nonsense. He’s not going to use nuclear weapons, okay. He’s

like the fat boy in Dickens, he wants to make our flesh creep. He wants us to think about it. He’s never going to do it.” “He’s not going to do it. Don’t go down that rabbit

hole, stop it,” Mr Johnson added. Continuing his commentary on Putin, the former PM said launching a nuclear attack would put the Russian president into “a complete economic

cryogenic paralysis” and “terrify the Russians”. He also urged the audience to “stop worrying about Kremlinology,” saying: “It’s difficult to work out what’s gonna happen in

UK politics, let alone in the Kremlin.” He continued: “What we’ve got to focus on is supporting Ukraine and giving Volodymyr Zelensky the tools he needs to finish the job.

And they can win and they will win... Give them the tanks.” Mr Johnson was joined on a discussion panel by speakers including Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte and first vice

prime minister of Ukraine, Yulia Svyrydenko. Addressing the event via video link, Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his call for countries to move faster in supplying weapons

to Ukraine.