UK’s Boris Johnson compares Putin to crocodile, says Ukraine peace talks doomed

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday sowed doubt over any peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, pointing to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he compared to a “crocodile when its got your leg in its jaw.”

“It is very hard to see how the Ukrainians can negotiate with Putin now, given his manifest lack of good faith,” Johnson told reporters on a flight to India, according to multiple reports. “His strategy, which is evident, is to try engulf and capture as much of Ukraine as he can and perhaps to have some sort of negotiation from a position of strength.”

Johnson is reportedly set to speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about India’s neutrality in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, though he downplayed the possibility that India would sever ties with Russia.

“I’ve already talked to Narendra Modi about Ukraine and actually the Indians have condemned what happened in Bucha, they have been quite forceful in what they have said,” the prime minister added. “But the U.K. in particular has to recognize that there is a historic relationship that India has with Russia, I think we have to be alive to that and just point out where Putin is, I am afraid, letting Russia down badly.”

Johnson also said that world leaders, including President Biden, agreed during a phone meeting earlier this week that they would keep supplying Ukraine with artillery and other weapons, Reuters reported.

India has a long-standing history with Russia. It is the largest consumer of Russian weaponry and is a big buyer of Russian oil, Reuters noted, adding that there have not been in-person peace talks since the end of March.