Boris Johnson affirms his plans to attend G20 summit regardless of Putin's presence

Boris Johnson, Britain's prime minister, said he would most likely attend this year's G20 summit in Bali even if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides not to attend, arguing that boycotting would simply "leave the whole argument" to Russia and its allies. Johnson told reporters he would be "absolutely amazed" if Putin attended the leaders' summit in November on the Indonesian island, citing the Russian president's lack of recent overseas travel. 

However, it is pertinent to note here that Putin has recently visited Tajikistan and is scheduled to visit Turkmenistan. Despite being kicked out of the G8, Russia remains a member of the G20, and Putin has stated his intention to attend the Bali summit in person. The British PM confirmed that the Russian President has been formally invited.

Johnson told reporters on June 29, "Yes, he’s been formally invited. I don’t think he will go. The question is: do we as the Western countries vacate our seats at the G20 and leave the whole argument to China, to Russia? What can we do with the middle of the congregation, the people who look at Ukraine and have mixed feelings? We need to be doing more to win them over. We need to be making our case. I think if you vacate something like the G20 you risk just handing the propaganda opportunity to others."

Johnson says if Putin were a woman he wouldn't have invaded Ukraine

Earlier today, Boris Johnson claimed that if Putin were a woman, he would not have invaded Ukraine. The "crazy, macho" invasion, according to the UK prime minister, was a "perfect example of toxic masculinity," and he called for "more women in positions of power." However, Downing Street stated that publicly disparaging Putin was "not a deliberate policy." Johnson's remarks come as NATO allies prepare to discuss how to respond to future threats.

The UK's defence spending is expected to reach 2.3% of GDP - a key measure of a country's annual income - this year as a result of defence industry investment and £1.3 billion in military support for Ukraine, according to the government. All NATO members have committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence, but by 2021, only eight countries, including the US, had met or exceeded this target. The spending target has previously been a source of contention within NATO, with members pledging to work toward the 2% mark by 2024.

Image: AP