[ad_1]

Boris Johnson and G7 leaders ridiculed Vladimir Putin during extraordinary banter before summit talks today.  

The PM, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and European commission president Ursula von der Leyen all mocked the Russian dictator as they sat down for discussions in Bavaria.

In a reference to Putin’s notorious macho photo ops, they suggested doing some ‘bare chested horseback riding’ to show they were ‘tougher’ than him.  

The undiplomatic chat risks further inflaming tensions amid the standoff over Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. 

It happened with cameras rolling as they gathered around a table with US president Joe Biden. Mr Johnson said: ‘Jackets on? Jackets off? Shall we take our clothes off?’ 

When Mr Trudeau suggested they waited until after the official picture was taken despite the heat in the room, Mr Johnson quipped: ‘We have to show that we’re tougher than Putin.’

Mr Trudeau added: ‘We’re going to get the bare-chested horseback riding display.’

Mr Johnson can then be heard on footage saying: ‘We’ve got to show them our pecs.’ 

Ms von der Leyen interjected: ‘Horseback riding is the best.’ 

  • Leaders of the G7 group of industrialised nations meeting today in Germany have agreed a fresh round of sanctions on Russian gold exports 
  • Russian forces have finally captured the strategic city of Severodonetsk in Luhansk, which is a ‘significant achievement’ according to the British MoD
  • Russia is still blockading Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and stopping grain exports from reaching countries in Africa and the Middle East, sparking fears of an imminent famine and refugee crisis  
  • Putin agreed to station nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles on Belarus soil that can hit NATO bases and targets in eastern Europe in a matter of minutes
  • Putin axed another top general known as the ‘Butcher of Aleppo’ over the slow rate of progress in the Donbas
  • Lithuania is blocking train shipments from Belarus to Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which Belarus dictator Lukashenko has called an ‘act of war’
The G7 leaders meet for lunch: Clockwise from left, Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Italy, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of France, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden and Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The G7 leaders meet for lunch: Clockwise from left, Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Italy, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of France, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden and Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

As the G7 leaders gathered in at luxury country retreat and hideaway Schloss Elmau in Germany, Russia ramped up its attacks in the Ukraine. Russian forces attacked the capital of Kyiv for the first time in weeks, striking at least two residential buildings. 

Kyiv had enjoyed three weeks of relative peace and quiet during the war until the early Sunday morning strikes, the first attacks since June 5. 

Several large bangs shook the city around 6.30am and rescue services were seen battling flames and rescuing civilians from the blasted out windows of a burning nine-story apartment building. 

Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs Dmytro Kuleba tweeted a photo of a young girl being carried out of the rubble, strapped to a stretcher and being aided by emergency workers. Her father was killed and her mother was injured, according to local reports.

‘G7 summit must respond with more sanctions on Russia and more heavy arms for Ukraine. Russia’s sick imperialism must be defeated,’ Kuleba wrote on Twitter. 

Culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko told local media that a kindergarten was hit. 

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told reporters in Kyiv that he believed the strike ‘is maybe a symbolic attack’ ahead of the start of today’s G7 summit and this week’s NATO summit in Madrid.     

Mr Biden slammed Russia’s attack on Kyiv as ‘barbarism.’

‘It’s more of their barbarism,’ he said during the official welcome ceremony for G7 leaders at Schloss Elmau.

Earlier, Mr Johnson warned that ‘fatigue’ over the Ukraine war could fracture Western unity – as the UK, US, Canada and Japan kicked off the G7 summit by banning imports of Russian gold.

The PM said there was obvious ‘anxiety’ about the fallout from trying to defeat Vladimir Putin’s aggression.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau mocked the 2009 photo of a shirtless Vladimir Putin riding a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region during his vacation

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau mocked the 2009 photo of a shirtless Vladimir Putin riding a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region during his vacation

Mr Johnson and Emmanuel Macron held one-on-one talks earlier at the summit

Mr Johnson and Emmanuel Macron held one-on-one talks earlier at the summit 

Mr Johnson and wife Carrie arrive at the G7 summit in Germany today

Mr Johnson and wife Carrie arrive at the G7 summit in Germany today

Joe Biden and Boris Johnson posing for the cameras. Biden is smiling broadly and enjoying himself while Johnson looks a little less relaxed

Joe Biden and Boris Johnson posing for the cameras. Biden is smiling broadly and enjoying himself while Johnson looks a little less relaxed

The Johnsons are greeted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his wife today

The Johnsons are greeted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his wife today

Entente Cordiale? PM and Macron put on awkward show of friendship 

Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron staged an awkward cuddly display of bonhomie as they met for talks at the G7 today.

The PM and the French president locked into an uncomfortable-looking embrace before their one-on-one meeting in Bavaria.

The two leaders seemed keen to show the warmth of their relations despite tensions over the strategy for resolving the Ukraine crisis and Brexit

However, once the cameras were turned off Mr Johnson warned that trying to settle the standoff with Russia to hastily will ‘only cause enduring instability’.

He said giving ground to Vladimir Putin would give him ‘licence to manipulate both sovereign countries and international markets in perpetuity’. 

Although France has backed Ukraine, Mr Macron has appeared keener to come to terms with Mr Putin than other world leaders.

By contrast Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed Mr Johnson for taking a tough line. 

But speaking this morning, Mr Johnson said he hoped everyone recognised that ‘the price of backing down, the price of allowing Putin to succeed… will be far, far higher’. 

See also  'Cheating b******!': Girlfriend tells MailOnline it's 'unfortunate' boyfriend was home with wife

Asked if he was worried about support fracturing, the premier said: ‘I think the pressure is there and the anxiety is there, we’ve got to be honest about that.

‘But the most incredible thing about the way the West has responded to the invasion of Ukraine by Putin has been the unity – Nato has been solid, the G7 has been solid and we continue to be solid.

‘But in order to protect that unity, in order to make it work, we’ve got to have really, really honest discussions about the implications of what’s going on, the pressures that individual friends and partners are feeling, that populations are feeling – whether it’s on the costs of their energy or food or whatever.’

Mr Johnson and Emmanuel Macron staged an awkward cuddly display of bonhomie as they met for talks.

The PM and the French president locked into an uncomfortable-looking embrace before their one-on-one meeting in Bavaria.

The two leaders seemed keen to show the warmth of their relations despite tensions over the strategy for resolving the Ukraine crisis and Brexit

However, once the cameras were turned off Mr Johnson warned that trying to settle the standoff with Russia too hastily will ‘only cause enduring instability’.

He said giving ground to Vladimir Putin would give him ‘licence to manipulate both sovereign countries and international markets in perpetuity’. 

Although France has backed Ukraine, Mr Macron has appeared keener to come to terms with Mr Putin than other world leaders.

By contrast Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed Mr Johnson for taking a tough line

Mr Macron has also been one of the hard-liners within the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol and post-Brexit trade issues.

Before the meeting, Mr Johnson was asked whether France and Germany are doing enough over Ukraine.

In his response, Mr Johnson focused on Berlin’s response without mentioning France.

‘Just look at what the Germans alone have done,’ he said.

‘I never believed in my lifetime that I would see a German Chancellor stepping up in the way that Olaf Scholz has and sending weaponry to help the Ukrainians to to protect themselves.

‘He’s made huge, huge strides. We have 4 per cent of our gas comes from Russia, in Germany, it’s 40 per cent.

‘They’re facing real, real pressures, they’re having to source energy from elsewhere. But they’re doing it. They’re making the effort. They’re making the sacrifice.

‘That’s because they see that the price of freedom is worth paying.

Carrie Johnson was among spouses trying out some Alpine walking on a tour near the Schloss today

Carrie Johnson was among spouses trying out some Alpine walking on a tour near the Schloss today

For their family photo, the G7 leaders took off their ties; from left to right European Council President Charles Michel, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

For their family photo, the G7 leaders took off their ties; from left to right European Council President Charles Michel, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) led the G7 leaders out of their lunch and toward the site of the family photo

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) led the G7 leaders out of their lunch and toward the site of the family photo

The G7 leaders, after their working lunch, walk to the spot they will take their family photo

The G7 leaders, after their working lunch, walk to the spot they will take their family photo

‘This is something that it’s worth us standing up for together. And that is the principle that a free, independent sovereign country like Ukraine should not be violently invaded and should not have its boundaries changed by force.

Beast from the East? Putin calls obese general out of retirement 

Putin has called an obese, 20 stone General Pavel, 67, out of retirement to take command of forces in Ukraine after yet another round of purges of top commanders.

He will take charge of Russian special forces operating in the region after the unit’s former commander was seriously injured in an artillery strike.

He is understood to eat five meals a day and polish it all off with a litre of vodka. Since coming back to the service, he has had to have his uniform specially made and he needs to wear two sets of body armour to ensure his torso is protected.

A senior intelligence source said: ‘Putin is now scraping the barrel. 

‘Most of his best and battle-hardened senior commanders have been killed or injured fighting in Ukraine so he is resorting to sending second rate officers to the front who don’t last very long. 

‘Putin is like a mafia boss who no one can refuse to obey. If a retired general gets a message from Putin saying mother Russia needs you to fight in Ukraine there is not much you can do. There is now escape from Russia thanks to the sanctions.’

‘And the consequences of what’s happening for the world are tough, but the price of backing down, the price of allowing Putin to succeed, to hack off huge parts of Ukraine, to continue with his programme of conquest, that price will be far, far higher and everybody here understands that.’

Gold exports were worth £12.6billion to Russia in 2021, and Russian oligarchs are believed to have been using bullion to avoid the impact of sanctions.

 Downing Street says that because London is a major gold-trading hub, the UK’s restrictions will have a huge impact on Mr Putin’s ability to finance his war effort.

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine will be the main topics of discussion at this week’s G7 summit in Germany and NATO meeting in Madrid. 

See also  Lala Kent and Scheana Shay get into full glam mode for REUNION taping

Dozens of Russian missiles hit other regions of Ukraine as well on Saturday and Sunday morning. Some were fired from Russian long-range Tu-22 bombers deployed from Belarus for the first time, Ukraine’s air command said.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said the Russian bombers’ use of Belarusian airspace for the first time for Saturday’s attack was ‘directly connected to attempts by the Kremlin to drag Belarus into the war’. 

The bombardment preceded a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in St Petersburg on Saturday, during which Mr Putin announced that Russia planned to supply Belarus with the Iskander-M missile system. 

The Iskander missiles are short range nuclear-capable hyper-sonic cruise missiles with a range of up to 310 miles, bringing large parts of eastern Europe up to Berlin within striking distance of the weapons in a matter of minutes.

‘In the coming months, we will transfer to Belarus Iskander-M tactical missile systems, which can use ballistic or cruise missiles, in their conventional and nuclear versions,’ Putin said in a broadcast on Russian television at the start of his meeting with Lukashenko in St Petersburg. 

At the meeting, Lukashenko expressed concern about the ‘aggressive’, ‘confrontational’, and ‘repulsive’ policies of Belarus’s neighbours Lithuania and Poland.

He asked Putin to help his country mount a ‘symmetrical response’ to what he said were nuclear-armed flights by the US-led NATO alliance near Belarus’s borders.

Putin also offered to upgrade Belarus’ warplanes to make them capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in comments broadcast on Russian television. 

‘Many Su-25 [aircraft] are in service with the Belarusian military. They could be upgraded in an appropriate way,’ Putin said.

‘This modernisation should be carried out in aircraft factories in Russia and the training of personnel should start in accordance with this. We will agree on how to accomplish this.’

US President Joe Biden, on Sunday, began his first day at the G7 summit by praising the German chancellor and vowing unity among the alliance against the invasion of the Ukraine.  

‘Thank you thank you… we have to stay together,’ he told Olaf Scholz as they looked out at the stunning mountain view at Schloss Elmau, the grand setting for the summit.

‘Because Putin is counting on, from the beginning, that NATO and the G7 would splinter. But we haven’t and we’re not going to.’

Russia and Ukraine will dominate the summit, as G7 leaders assess how well sanctions are working. They will also discuss the world’s worsening economic climate. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during their meeting in St. Petersburg yesterday, when Putin agreed to send Iskander nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during their meeting in St. Petersburg yesterday, when Putin agreed to send Iskander nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus

The Iskander missiles are short range nuclear-capable hyper-sonic cruise missiles with a range of up to 310 miles, bringing all of eastern Europe up to Berlin within striking distance of weapons in a matter of minutes

The Iskander missiles are short range nuclear-capable hyper-sonic cruise missiles with a range of up to 310 miles, bringing all of eastern Europe up to Berlin within striking distance of weapons in a matter of minutes

Pictured: A test launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground

Pictured: A test launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system ‘Iskander’ from at the Kapustin Yar training ground

The transfer to Belarus Iskander-M tactical missile systems would bring large parts of eastern Europe into range of the hyper sonic missiles

The transfer to Belarus Iskander-M tactical missile systems would bring large parts of eastern Europe into range of the hyper sonic missiles

Scholz was waiting for Biden at a pavilion with panoramic Alpine views when Biden arrived on the decking. 

The two leaders took a moment to soak up the setting before sitting down to discuss the day’s agenda.

‘Don’t jump,’ Biden joked to Scholz when he saw him standing at the scenic deck overlook, the mountains visible in the distance. 

He removed his signature aviator sunglasses and shook Scholz hand, telling him ‘good to see you.’

‘I used to ski too I haven’t skied in a while,’ continued Biden. ‘It’s beautiful.’

Then it was down to business. 

The president will spend the day in formal and informal meeting with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union. 

Russia and its war in the Ukraine will ‘be at the top of the list’ of agenda items, a senior administration official said of the day.

‘We’re going to continue working on the economic challenges we face,’ Biden said.

The fallout from the invasion tops most of the agenda. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will virtually address the G7 on Monday.

The first formal session for the leaders of the world’s seven largest economies will be the economy and the high food and gas prices that have resulted from both the invasion of the Ukraine and the world emerging from the covid pandemic. 

Like the United States, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom are battling record-high inflation. 

‘The disruptions generally that are emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, even as the leaders, including President Biden will be focused on the challenge and the challenges and disruptions of the moment,’ a senior administration official said on Sunday morning.

Biden will also spend his time at the G7 – and at the NATO summit later this week – holding together the Western allies on Russian sanctions.

The US, UK, Canada and Japan are implementing a new round of punishments on Russia President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to isolate him financially. 

The countries are banning the import of Russian gold, which, after oil, is its biggest revenue generator. 

President Joe Biden slammed Russia's attack on Kyiv as 'barbarism' during the official G7 welcome ceremony with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

President Joe Biden slammed Russia’s attack on Kyiv as ‘barbarism’ during the official G7 welcome ceremony with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center, and his wife Britta Ernst, right, pose with President Joe Biden during the official G7 summit welcome ceremony at Schloss Elmau in Kruen

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center, and his wife Britta Ernst, right, pose with President Joe Biden during the official G7 summit welcome ceremony at Schloss Elmau in Kruen

They began by admiring the stunning Alpine views at the Schloss Elmau venue for the G7 venue in Germany

They began by admiring the stunning Alpine views at the Schloss Elmau venue for the G7 venue in Germany

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed staying together on Russia's war against  Ukraine

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed staying together on Russia’s war against  Ukraine

‘The United States has imposed unprecedented costs on Putin to deny him the revenue he needs to fund his war against Ukraine,’ Biden wrote on Twitter.

‘Together, the G7 will announce that we will ban the import of Russian gold, a major export that rakes in tens of billions of dollars for Russia.’

The West has already imposed a series of sanctions on Russian oil, luxury goods and other items, but questions remain as the effectiveness of those financial punishments.

‘The short-term financial impact of the sanctions on Russia’s economy has been substantial but appears to have dissipated since May,’ the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported this month. 

And Russian oil, the nation’s biggest source of income, is still being purchased – China and India are picking up the slack left when the U.S. and allies started to ban Russian oil. 

While oil sales are down, prices are up, helping generate billions for Putin’s war. 

Russia is still raking in $1 billion a day from its oil supply, the Center for Research on Energy and Clear Air found. 

The Biden administration argues the sanctions are working.

The picturesque Alpine town was also the scene of anti-G7 protests as hundreds of people marched through the streets carrying banners and waving placards

The picturesque Alpine town was also the scene of anti-G7 protests as hundreds of people marched through the streets carrying banners and waving placards

Protesters carry banners through a street during a demonstration against the G7 Summit today in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany

Protesters carry banners through a street during a demonstration against the G7 Summit today in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany

Protesters in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany this morning as the leaders of the G7 industrialised economies gathered for photographs and enjoyed a working lunch

Protesters in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany this morning as the leaders of the G7 industrialised economies gathered for photographs and enjoyed a working lunch

‘The US has rallied the world and imposing swift and significant economic costs. It will deny Putin revenue he needs to finance his war. In this case, gold after energy is the second largest export for Russia and a source of significant revenue for for Putin and Russia,’ a senior administration official said.

The official went on to say the effect of the sanctions ‘is intended to be cumulative, not just in the moment, and we’re already seeing the extent to which sanctions are degrading the productive capacity of the Russian economy, particularly in sectors like technology, like defence, like other key important industries, and those impacts only accumulate over time such that Russia’s ability to wage war are going to decline over time as a result of the collective steps that the G7 has taken.’ 

Biden’s day will be spent in meetings, including lunches and dinners with G7 leaders. He’ll also participate in an official welcome ceremony and take a family photo. 

The president arrived in Germany on a Saturday night to a red carpet welcome – complete with flags flying and a band playing. A large group of people in traditional Bavarian dress greeted him, along with Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder.

Two children, also in traditional dress, gave him a bouquet of flowers. Biden also signed the Golden Book of the Bavarian state government.

The bucolic scene was a thousand miles away – literally and figuratively – from events in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where the majority of Russia’s offensives against Ukraine have been concentrated 

Russian forces managed to move in and secure the heavily-contested strategic city of Severodonetsk yesterday after the Ukrainian army finally pulled out.

Despite this progress, there have been reports that Putin has sacked his top general in Ukraine, ostensibly over the glacial advance of the Russian army’s primary thrust to annex the Donbas. 

Gen Alexander Dvornikov, known as the 'Butcher of Aleppo' for his 2015 aerial destruction of Syria's largest city which reduced it to a bombed out husk, has reportedly been removed by Putin from overall command of Russian forces in Ukraine

Gen Alexander Dvornikov, known as the ‘Butcher of Aleppo’ for his 2015 aerial destruction of Syria’s largest city which reduced it to a bombed out husk, has reportedly been removed by Putin from overall command of Russian forces in Ukraine

Dvornikov will reportedly be replaced by Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin (pictured left, receiving a medal from Putin) as commander of the SGF, as the army group encompasses the primary forces of the Russian army seeking to capture and occupy Ukrainian territory

Dvornikov will reportedly be replaced by Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin (pictured left, receiving a medal from Putin) as commander of the SGF, as the army group encompasses the primary forces of the Russian army seeking to capture and occupy Ukrainian territory

The dismissal of Gen Alexander Dvornikov, rumoured to be a drunk and distrusted by his officers, would mark yet another major shake up of Putin’s command structure, and an expression of the dictator’s frustration with the state of his war in Ukraine, which he had supposed would be successfully over within four days.

Dvornikov, known as the ‘Butcher of Aleppo’ for his 2015 aerial destruction of Syria’s largest city which reduced it to a bombed out husk, would be the the seventh general Putin is reported to have sacked since the start of June, as well as losing as many as fourteen killed in action.

Russian high command is thought to have removed a number of high-ranking officers from key command roles in Ukraine since the start of June, according to the British Ministry of Defence.

With Dvornikov the commander of Southern Group of Forces and likely acting as the overall operational commander for the Russian army in Ukraine, his removal is reported to have come along with that of Airborne Forces (VDV) General-Colonel Andrei Serdyukov.

Dvornikov will reportedly be replaced by Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin as commander of the SGF. The army group encompasses the primary forces of the Russian army seeking to capture and occupy Ukrainian territory. 

‘For over 30 years, Surovikin’s career has been dogged with allegations of corruption and brutality,’ the MoD adds.

[ad_2]

Source link