DAVOS, Switzerland — There’s very little to laugh about when it comes to Russia’s war on Ukraine. But Britain’s former prime minister, Boris Johnson, provided a rare moment of levity amid the solemn pledges of support for Ukraine from political leaders and corporate titans attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week.
On Thursday, Mr. Johnson was at a breakfast for Ukraine, which became one of the biggest draws at the gathering. He listened as Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister, used a hockey metaphor, which she credited to the Canadian superstar Wayne Gretzky, to describe why the West should do more for Ukraine.
When Ms. Freeland had finished, Mr. Johnson leaned into his microphone and said, “Tell Putin to get the puck out of Ukraine.”
The room erupted in laughter, a brief moment of light relief at a gathering that has been otherwise consumed by sober questions, like whether Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks, or whether investors like Goldman Sachs and BlackRock will pour billions of dollars into the reconstruction of Ukraine. (Their bosses say yes, though BlackRock’s chief executive, Larry Fink, added that investors were entitled to a “fair and just return.”)
Ukraine has long had a lively presence at the World Economic Forum, thanks largely to the efforts of Victor Pinchuk, a Ukrainian billionaire who has drawn A-list politicians and business people to a breakfast gathering there for many years.
Now that his country’s survival commands the world’s headlines, the breakfast is a bona fide news event. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte; President Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry; and current and former American senators were all on hand. The crowd of several hundred spilled into the hallway outside.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine attended the event via a video link, and thanked steadfast supporters of Ukraine like Mr. Johnson, who as prime minister made Britain an early contributor of weapons to Ukrainian troops. With Germany still deciding whether to send tanks, Mr. Zelensky urged Europe not to dawdle.
“This is not a cinema where you wait for the film to start,” he said.
Mr. Johnson, who became friends with Mr. Zelensky over four visits to Ukraine during his time in office, picked up the Ukrainian president’s theme. Mr. Johnson dismissed fears — expressed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany and at times by Mr. Biden — that heavier weapons could escalate the conflict, risking a direct clash between Russia and NATO.
“Give them the tanks,” Mr. Johnson said. “There’s absolutely nothing to be lost.”
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