G7 Summit: Boris Johnson, other leaders mock Putin's 'bare-chested horseback ride' | Watch

Seven prominent world leaders at the Group of Seven G7 summit on Sunday light-heartedly mocked Russian President Vladimir Putin's "tough man" image amid the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war. Seated at a roundtable for the G7 opening session in Germany, the leaders were heard poking fun at Putin's "bare-chested horseback ride," a picture that the Kremlin had posted a while ago. 

UK PM Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and European Union (EU) President Ursula von der Leyen were gathered for the inaugural session on Sunday against the picturesque backdrop of dazzling mountains in Bavaria's historic Elmau Castle. With no air-conditioning facilities in the castle built in the 1900s, the mercury topped 28°C.

World leaders take swipe at Putin

Johnson greeted his colleagues, quickly following with "Jackets on or off? Should we keep it on or off, should we take our clothes off...we have to show that we are tougher..."

In response, Trudeau quipped, "Yeah, bare-chested horseback riders" in reference to the hugely unpopular picture of Putin snapped without proper clothing for a hack in the Russian mountains. "We've got to display our pecs," Johnson chimed, while the others giggled at the soft mockery. The EU President couldn't hold back either, adding to the gentlemen's comments, she interjected "horseback riding is the best!"

The leaders following the conclusion of the first session hustled out in the open. They posed for a candid picture against the backdrop of the magnanimous mountains with their "jacket on."

UK opposition calls Johnson 'deranged' for comments against Putin

Johnson, who recently faced two bruising defeats in the by-elections in the UK, was slammed by the opposition Labour Party MP Chris Bryant for his "childish narcissism." Speaking to Mirror, Byrant called him "slightly deranged" for his "embarrassing" swipe at Putin. Johnson is also facing rampant criticism for his behaviour at the office back in London. Noting Johnson's comments, an independent MP Neil Coyle questioned, "What is he doing as PM if he does not take G7 seriously," the Mirror quoted him as saying. "There does not seem to be a need to go out of the way to deliberately provoke him," he added.