Justin Trudeau falls for Russian pranksters pretending to be Greta Thunberg

Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, has been pranked by Russian comedians pretending to be climate activist Greta Thunberg.  

Credit: Reuters

Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, has been pranked by Russian comedians pretending to be climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Audio of Mr Trudeau speaking to well-known pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyarov in January has been released by the pair, who claim to be Ms Thunberg, 17, discuss everything from Nato, to world peace to US President Donald Trump.

The fake Ms Thuberg tells Mr Trudeau she is worried about a “growing international crisis and anticipation of the world war”, speaking to him days after the Iranian government shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing the 176 people on board.

Asked about Mr Trump — whom she described with an expletive — Mr Trudeau replied that his responsibility was to "work with world leaders that other people choose".

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, centre, marches with others during a climate change protest in Brussels. 

Credit: AP

"I can certainly understand that people can feel very, very strongly about him," Mr Trudeau said.

They then told Mr Trudeau that he and other world leaders "are adults, but you act like children".

"Leave Nato, drop your weapons, pick flowers, smile at nature," she said.

Mr Trudeau finally cottoned on 10 minutes into the conversation, after the pranksters asked if he could set up a meeting between her and South Park characters Terrance and Phillip.

“Wait, Terrance and Phillip, were they not in South Park?” the prime minister asks. “I don’t personally know them. I believe they are South Park parodies of Canadians.”

Mr Kuznetsov and Mr Stolyarov have previously targeted Elton John, Prince Harry, and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris for pranks.

In 2018 they called Boris Johnson, the then UK Foreign Secretary, pretending to be the prime minister of Armenia.