When asked if Vladimir Putin was evil during an interview with GB News at the NATO summit in Madrid, Boris Johnson replied: "I think that what he has done is evil. And I think it probably follows that if you are what you do, then certainly."
"It's been an appalling act of unwarranted aggression against an innocent population," he added.
The Prime Minister has compared supporting Russia to a choice between "good and evil," but has previously refrained from using that language to describe Putin.
He stated that the U.K. must work to address the attitudes of countries that are more ambivalent about Putin's actions. 'We need to explode some myths, he said. 'It's not the sanctions that are causing food prices to go up, as Putin tells Africa, Asian, and Latin American nations. There's nothing to stop Putin exporting food, exporting fertilizer, it is what he is doing to stop grain coming out of Ukraine.'
He also disputed the notion that NATO had encroached on Russia by broadening its borders. "There was never any chance that missiles were going to be stationed [in Ukraine]," Johnson added. "It's a complete myth. This is an act of absolutely unprovoked aggression."
While the 30 NATO leaders met in Madrid, Russian forces intensified their attacks in Ukraine, including missile strikes and shelling on the southern Mykolaiv region near the front lines and the Black Sea.
Johnson has been vocal in his support for Ukraine, calling President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a regular basis and visiting Kyiv twice since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously described Putin as a "lunatic" with "small man syndrome," implying that his decision-making is influenced by his small stature in comparison to other world leaders.
Johnson has previously described Russian President Vladimir Putin's behavior as an example of 'toxic masculinity.'
The announcement comes just days after Putin launched a brutal attack in Ukraine that appeared to be aimed solely at civilians.
On Monday, desperate relatives of missing victims of the Ukrainian shopping mall attack appealed for assistance in locating their loved ones.
Ihor Ivakhenko, whose girlfriend Tatyana Brigadirenko was working at the Amstor mall when it was hit by a Russian missile strike, was among those on the scene asking passers-by for information.
It was feared that up to 1,000 people were inside when it was hit. Ukraine's president, Volodymr Zelensky, called Russia's actions yesterday "one of the most daring terrorist attacks in European history."
Ukraine has been accused by Russia of staging the attack.
