A recent statement from Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, has drawn wide attention. He suggested that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson should be placed in a psychiatric hospital following Johnson’s remarks about Ukraine’s possible path into NATO without conditions. Medvedev described Johnson in harsh terms and argued for a clinical evaluation, linking the remark to broader concerns about leadership and international security. The remarks appeared in a telegraph channel associated with the Russian official.
In discussing Johnson’s approach, Medvedev invoked a line from a Vladimir Vysotsky poem that reflects the tension between fear and bravado, using a reference to a madman who either cries or laughs to illustrate the volatility of public discourse on NATO and Ukraine. This literary allusion was used to frame the tone of the debate and to underscore the emotional intensity surrounding the issue.
Meanwhile, an article attributed to Johnson in the Daily Mail argued for Ukraine to be admitted to NATO, emphasizing that North Atlantic Alliance members should acknowledge what Ukraine has sacrificed and the obligations that such sacrifice would entail for Western partners. The piece stressed the need for Western nations to recognize Ukraine’s strategic importance and the commitments that might follow from its potential accession.
Earlier, statements emerging from the State Duma touched on the perceived expectations of NATO leaders and Ukraine’s alignment with alliance goals. The discourse reflected ongoing tensions about how NATO’s role should be interpreted by Kyiv and how it should be communicated to the public and to international partners.