Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has described Vladimir Putin as a "real-life Bond villain" and a "truly evil" individual, warning Western leaders never to underestimate the Russian president.
Harper, who led Canada from 2006 to 2015, detailed his tense encounters with Putin in an article for Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, reflecting on the Russian leader's conduct in international meetings.
Harper's Warning on Putin
Writing about his dealings with the dictator, Harper said: "At no time did I think Mr Putin should be dismissed or taken lightly."
He added: "He is a formidable and, in many ways, very impressive individual. He is intelligent and extraordinarily disciplined. He comes to international meetings extremely well briefed and knowing exactly what he wants."
Harper continued: "He is also very manipulative, no doubt part of his background as an intelligence officer, appearing soft-spoken, almost shy, while being quick to spot weaknesses in others and exploit them. I suppose it was that veneer that I was most eager to puncture."
Clashes Over Ukraine
Harper noted that years after leaving front-line politics, people still ask him more about Putin than any other famous figure he has met. He said: "I guess it is because he is a real-life Bond villain. And make no mistake, for all his strong attributes, he is a truly evil individual."
He added: "He has knowingly and deliberately inflicted great and avoidable harm in his country and around the world. As it turned out, I would soon have more to say on that."
The two leaders frequently clashed on the world stage, with Harper repeatedly warning that Putin posed a danger to international security. Relations broke down in 2014 after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, prompting Canada to impose financial sanctions on the Kremlin.
Later that year, tensions peaked when the pair met at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, where Harper confronted Putin and told him to "get out of Ukraine".
