British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed that the invasion of Ukraine represents “toxic masculinity” on the part of Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the war would not have happened if a woman was in charge.
Despite the history of British female leaders launching wars, the current supposed Conservative Prime Minister has asserted that the invasion of Ukraine typified the alleged problem with male leadership of nations.
In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, translated by the BBC, in the wake of the G7 meeting in Bavaria, Boris Johnson said: “If Putin was a woman, which he obviously isn’t, but if he were, I really don’t think he would’ve embarked on a crazy, macho war of invasion and violence in the way that he has.”
“If you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it’s what he’s doing in Ukraine,” Johnson added.
The comments are ironic given examples of female leaders in both Russia and Britain launching wars, including ‘Bloody’ Queen Mary I, her half-sister Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, and indeed former Prime Minister Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher, whom Boris Johnson has previously claimed to have drawn inspiration from.
Russia’s borders were also greatly expanded in the 18th century through the military conquest of Ukraine during the reign of Catherine the Great, who succeeded in taking far more territory than Putin has managed to date.
Mr Johnson has also been accused in the past of displaying so-called “toxic masculinity” and has had his character questioned of the fact that he has sired seven children with three different women, including his current wife, Carrie Johnson née Symonds, who is 24 years his junior.
The deputy leader of the right-wing Reclaim Party, Martin Daubney responded to Johnson’s comments by saying: “If you want any further proof that Number 10 has been totally infected with woke, identity politics, look at Boris’s idiotic use of toxic masculinity’,” which he said is a “mindless, fabricated, cod-science used to smear all men for the actions of a minority.”
The comments from Prime Minister Johnson are also ironic given that he has been one of the most hawkish global leaders on the war in Ukraine, becoming a chief ally of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he has supplied massive shipments of weaponry, military vehicles and even training for Ukrainian soldiers.
During the G7 summit in Germany this week, Mr Johnson has argued against negotiating for peace with Russia, claiming that ending the war by ceding territory to Moscow would only further embolden Putin’s expansionist aims.
“The price of backing down, of allowing President Putin to hack off parts of Ukraine, to continue with his programme of conquest – that price will be far, far higher and everyone here understands that,” Johnson said.
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