- Vladimir Putin is "completely not to be trusted", Boris Johnson has told Bloomberg.
- Johnson compared Russia's President to "a crocodile [that's] in the middle of eating your left leg".
- The UK's prime minister urged fellow western nations to send Ukraine more offensive weapons.
Vladimir Putin is "completely not to be trusted", Boris Johnson has said, casting further doubts on the possibility of peace talks with Russia over the war in Ukraine.
In an interview with Bloomberg Friday morning, the UK's prime minister pushed back on calls to try and begin negotiations with Russia.
"How can you deal with a crocodile when it's in the middle of eating your left leg?" Johnson said, when asked about the prospect of dialogue with Putin.
In late April, Johnson made similar remarks on the difficulties the Ukrainian government would have in entering talks with Russia.
"[Putin] will try to freeze the conflict, he will try to call for a ceasefire," Johnson said at the time. He said the "one way" that the conflict in Ukraine can end is for Putin to claim the "denazification of Ukraine has taken place and that he's able to withdraw with dignity and honour".
—Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) May 27, 2022
During the Bloomberg interview, Johnson also urged Western states to continue arming Ukrainian forces, and to provide more offensive weaponry such as multiple launch rocket systems [MLRS] with a greater range to defend against Russian artillery.
The MLRS "would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery, and that's where the world needs to go down," Johnson said.