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


Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he were a woman, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson told German media outlets on Tuesday.
"You need more women in positions of power. 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," Johnson said. "If you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it's what he's doing in Ukraine."
So, would Vladimira Vladimirovna Putin have left Ukraine alone? Maybe, but history provides no basis for that assumption. Female leaders appear to be just as bellicose as male ones, if not more so. Russian Empresses Elizabeth, Anna, and Catherine the Great all fought multiple wars during their reigns.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Johnson's own country provides plenty of examples. Within his lifetime, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher waged the undeclared Falklands War against Argentina. British forces took part in around 50 international conflicts during the reign of Queen Victoria. Queens Elizabeth I and Mary I both sent troops to fight on the European continent.
In fact, a 2017 working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that, between 1480 and 1913, European queens were 27 percent more likely than European kings to wage war.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
Is the Trump-Putin bromance over... again?
Today's Big Question The US president has admitted he's 'p*ssed off' with his opposite number
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress