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- Countries impose travel restrictions in response to Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda
- Justice Department investigates E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury
- GCHQ chief warns of increasing Russian threats to UK infrastructure and security
- Italy debates foreign policy shift amid growing tensions with allies
- US conducts strikes on Iranian military site amid ongoing ceasefire efforts
- Experts warn Putin may compel Belarus to engage in Ukraine conflict
- Nicolas Sarkozy defends against allegations of Libyan campaign funding
- Alabama petitions Supreme Court for approval of rejected congressional map
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Countries impose travel restrictions in response to Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda
6:00 am
Get you up to speed: Ebola outbreak: What travel restrictions have countries imposed?
Countries including Canada, the Bahamas, and the US are implementing travel bans to prevent the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has resulted in confirmed infections in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In Uganda, five cases and one death have been confirmed amid the ongoing outbreak, while the DRC has reported 10 confirmed deaths and 220 suspected deaths since mid-May.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a total of 10 confirmed deaths and 220 suspected deaths from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola since mid-May. The Congolese Ministry of Transport and Communications has suspended all flights to and from Bunia, while Uganda has enacted a four-week halt on bus and boat border crossings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk assessment for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to very high, while maintaining a low risk at the global level. In response to the outbreak, Canada, the Bahamas, and the US are implementing travel bans on residents from the affected countries, with the US also deploying public health officers to Kenya to establish a quarantine facility for exposed individuals.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how effective the current travel bans and restrictions will be in preventing the further spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
Countries impose travel restrictions in response to Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda
EXPLAINERNews|HealthEbola outbreak: What travel restrictions have countries imposed?
Canada, the Bahamas and the US are banning arrivals from affected countries to prevent the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain.
Uganda is carrying out research and laboratory testing of Ebola samples in an attempt to contain the outbreak, which has spilled over from the epicentre in neighbouring DRC [File: Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images]
The latest outbreak of a rare strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has prompted several governments to take action in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 10 confirmed deaths and 220 suspected deaths from the lethal Bundibugyo (BVD) strain of Ebola in DRC since mid-May. A further 900 suspected cases have been recorded since Kinshasa declared the outbreak on May 15. In Uganda, five cases and one death have been confirmed.
list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Attacks on Ebola centres intensify in eastern DRC amid outbreak fearslist 2 of 3Ebola spreads in the DRC as authorities struggle to contain outbreaklist 3 of 3How did a rare strain of Ebola outrun doctors?end of list
The United Nations’ health agency raised its risk assessment from high to very high at the national level for DRC last week, but continues to assess the risk as low at the global level.
Nevertheless, several countries have announced travel bans and temporary border measures to contain the spread of the new strain.
Which countries are implementing restrictions to contain the virus?
This week, the Congolese Ministry of Transport and Communications suspended all flights to and from Bunia in eastern DRC in an attempt to contain the Ebola outbreak. The Bunia health zone is one of 11 Congolese health zones affected by the Ebola outbreak. Some exceptions, such as humanitarian, medical and emergency flights, may be allowed with special approval from aviation and health authorities.
Uganda has also introduced restrictions on travel to and from the DRC. All direct flights have been suspended while bus and boat border crossings have been halted for four weeks. Weekly markets in border districts have been put on hold. Freight traffic, essential goods and food supplies, however, are still permitted to cross.
Beyond the immediate affected region, Canada and the Bahamas said they would temporarily ban residents of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan from entering.
Residents from those countries will be unable to travel to Canada for 90 days from Wednesday, the government said. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign nationals who have been in affected areas in recent weeks must quarantine for 21 days from May 30, even if they do not show symptoms, Canada’s public health agency said.
The Bahamian government said entry restrictions would take immediate effect and remain in place for a period of 30 days, subject to review by the Caribbean country’s health ministry.
Last week, the US banned all non-citizens who had travelled to the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days from entering the country. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the ban to green card holders who have been in those countries in the previous 21 days.
US citizens who have travelled to affected countries have been told to return to the US via selected airports equipped with enhanced screening. These are Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) for flights to the US departing after May 21, 2026; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) for flights after May 22; and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, (IAH), Houston, for flights departing after May 26.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that the Trump administration is expected to deploy US public health officers to Kenya to staff a potential quarantine facility, intended for Americans who have been exposed to or are at high risk of testing positive for the virus in the region, as well as for those who have already tested positive.
No Ebola cases have been recorded in Canada, the Bahamas or the US.
Will these measures stop the spread of the virus?
The Bundibugyo strain is a rare, highly fatal species of the Ebola virus, which causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever. It spreads through close physical contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected or deceased person, as well as via contaminated objects. Therefore, all measures limiting contact provide an effective way of containing infections.
At the national level in the DRC and Uganda, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this week said the response included contact tracing, establishing treatment centres, and infection prevention and control.
However, “the delay in detecting the outbreak means that we are now playing catch-up with a very fast-moving epidemic”. “We are urgently scaling up operations, but at the moment, the epidemic is outpacing us,” he said.
“But we know this virus, and we know how to stop it,” Tedros added. “We have stopped every previous Ebola outbreak, and we will stop this one, too.”
Is air travel safe?
The United Nations has called on airlines and governments to stick strictly to protocols established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) during the COVID-19 global pandemic. These include using electronic health declarations and contactless border processes, it said on Tuesday.
The ICAO said that, for now, international flights are safe. It urged countries not to close borders or impose restrictions on travel or trade and to focus on exit screening for departing passengers, rather than entry screening for arrivals.
“Exit screening can be implemented in affected countries for all persons at international airports for unexplained illness associated with fever and consistent with other symptoms of potential BVD,” the ICAO said in a statement.
Justice Department investigates E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury
5:00 am
Get you up to speed: Justice Department investigating whether Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll committed perjury, sources say
The Justice Department is investigating whether author E. Jean Carroll committed perjury in her civil lawsuits against President Trump, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. The inquiry relates to her claim in a 2022 deposition that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit, despite subsequent revelations about financial support from billionaire Reid Hoffman.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is leading the investigation into E. Jean Carroll’s potential perjury regarding outside funding for her lawsuits. Reid Hoffman’s financial support for Carroll’s legal expenses was disclosed in April 2023, prior to the first defamation trial.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is investigating whether E. Jean Carroll committed perjury regarding outside funding for her lawsuits against President Trump. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is recused from the case, and the investigation continues to gather information amidst ongoing appeals related to the previous rulings in Carroll’s favour.
What remains unclear — It is not specified whether the Justice Department has determined if E. Jean Carroll intentionally lied during her deposition regarding outside funding.
Justice Department investigates E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury
The Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into whether author E. Jean Carroll committed perjury in connection with her civil lawsuits against President Trump, sources familiar with the matter said.
The investigation is being led out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, one of the sources added.
Carroll sued Mr. Trump in two civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and defamation. In 2023, a jury found Mr. Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation for comments he made in 2022. Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages.
A second jury in 2024 found him liable for defamation in connection with comments he had made about Carroll in 2019, awarding her $83.3 million in damages. Both judgments were upheld on appeal.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who represented Mr. Trump on some of the litigation, is recused from the case, one source added.
The investigation was reported earlier by CNN. The theory of the case hinges on whether Carroll lied when she said in a 2022 deposition that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit, a source told WTX US News.
It was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, helped pay for some of her legal expenses.
WTX US News has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois for comment on the investigation, as well as to Roberta Kaplan, the attorney who represented Carroll for the two lawsuits.
Carroll accused Mr. Trump of sexually assaulting her in a New York City department store dressing room during an encounter in the mid-1990s, an account which she published in a 2019 story for New York Magazine. In 2019, Carroll sued Mr. Trump for defamation, but the case stalled in court.
She then filed a second defamation lawsuit in 2022, adding a claim of rape under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly denied the sexual assault allegations.
Hoffman’s financial backing for Carroll’s lawsuit was first revealed in legal papers filed by Mr. Trump’s attorneys in April 2023, just ahead of the trial in the first defamation lawsuit, according to the New York Times.
When Mr. Trump’s attorneys brought the issue up on appeal, the appeals court found that Carroll had “plausibly represented” in her deposition “that she had forgotten about the limited outside funding counsel obtained.”
“Rather, it showed that Ms. Carroll simply was not involved in the matter of who was or was not funding her litigation costs,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second District wrote in its 2024 ruling.
In a May 2023 interview with the Washington Post, Hoffman explained why he chose to help fund Carroll’s legal action, saying that “we didn’t encourage the lawsuit to happen, we only got on board after she’d already filed.”
“My team looked at it, thought that her voice should be heard because she was challenging someone who was so much more wealthy and powerful, it shouldn’t be squashed,” Hoffman said.
GCHQ chief warns of increasing Russian threats to UK infrastructure and security
4:00 am
Get you up to speed: Russia’s technical advancements are bad news for UK, GCHQ chief warns | News World
Anne Keast-Butler, head of GCHQ, has warned that Russia is “relentlessly” targeting critical infrastructure and democratic processes in the UK. This warning was issued during an annual announcement in Birmingham, where she urged increased urgency in cybersecurity measures.
GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre is currently addressing approximately four nationally significant cyber attacks each week, primarily attributed to hostile states, including Russia, China, and Iran. The National Security Act 2023 has been introduced to safeguard the UK from various threats, such as espionage and interference in the political system.
Anne Keast-Butler, head of GCHQ, has emphasised the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures, stating that the public and businesses must act to bolster their defences against Russian threats to critical infrastructure. Following her warnings, the UK government is poised to advance its cybersecurity initiatives under the National Security Act 2023, targeting espionage and interference.
What remains unclear — The extent of public awareness regarding the specific threats Russia poses to the UK remains uncertain.
GCHQ chief warns of increasing Russian threats to UK infrastructure and security
The head of GCHQ has warned that Russia is ‘relentlessly’ targeting critical infrastructure and democratic processes in the UK.
Supply chains and public trust have also been eroded by Russian interference, Anne Keast-Butler said during the annual announcement.
Keast-Butler warned that Russia is increasing its daily hybrid activity against countries, including Britain, and urged the public and businesses to make cyber security ’10 times more urgent’.
The speed of advancements in technology from Russia means that there is a ‘narrowing window’ for the UK and its allies to stay ahead, she added.
‘China is now a science and tech superpower, with sophisticated capabilities across its intelligence, cyber and military agencies,’ she said.
GCHQ has urged the technology industry and those working in national security to ‘anticipate and drive advancements’ and told the public to take action to increase cybersecurity.
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‘At home, that means taking important action now to switch passwords for passkeys, and for wider society, it means hardwiring security into new technologies, protecting supply chains and making cybersecurity 10 times more urgent.’
Anne Keast-Butler has issued a sobering warning about Russian interference (Picture: Getty)
GCHQ found that cyber attacks on Britain came from China, Iran and Russia (Picture: PA)
Earlier this year, Dr Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre – which is part of GCHQ – warned that most nationally significant cyber attacks on Britain were carried out by hostile states including China, Iran and Russia.
He said the body dealt with around four of these attacks each week, and told businesses to be prepared to protect themselves against cyber attacks.
Experts have previously told WTX that the UK is in the dark over the threat they face from Russia.
Russia’s influence in the United States is said to be the strongest it’s been in decades after years of online disinformation campaigns, the use of Russian bots, and the easing of social media regulations.
Russia has stepped up foreign interference exponentially in the last ten years (Picture: AP)
The UK has made strides towards addressing ongoing Russian influence, including establishing the National Security Act 2023, which was set up to protect the UK from ‘espionage, interference in the political system, sabotage, and assassination.’
‘There still has not been enough communication to the British public about the threat they face from Russia, not just in information space, not just in defence, but in campaigns of undeclared warfare,’ Chatham House Russia Expert Keir Giles told WTX.
‘Democracies can’t defend themselves against threats about which the majority of their voters are simply unaware.’
Westminster whistle-blower Sergei Cristo said he has spent years trying to warn the UK about the ongoing threat to their democracy from Russian actors.
He previously told WTX: ‘You have to realise – Putin never creates an agenda. He amplifies existing destructive narratives by supporting political movements and fake news to work on that movement.’
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Italy debates foreign policy shift amid growing tensions with allies
3:00 am
Italy debates foreign policy shift amid growing tensions with allies
Political Tensions
Giorgia Meloni’s government is facing increased friction with the United States and Israel, stemming from calls for sanctions against Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Giorgia Meloni’s government is facing increased friction with the United States and Israel, stemming from calls for sanctions against Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Trade Dynamics
Italy’s trade surplus with Israel complicates potential sanctions, posing risks of self-imposed economic repercussions amid heightened tensions in its foreign policy approach.
Italy’s trade surplus with Israel complicates potential sanctions, posing risks of self-imposed economic repercussions amid heightened tensions in its foreign policy approach.
Political Reaction
“When you behave like a waiter, the boss ends up treating you like a waiter,” said Arturo Scotto, commenting on Giorgia Meloni’s shifting foreign policy stance.
“When you behave like a waiter, the boss ends up treating you like a waiter,” said Arturo Scotto, commenting on Giorgia Meloni’s shifting foreign policy stance.
Meloni’s foreign policy twist on The Ring: Is Italy turning its back on Israel and US?
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In this special edition from the Imperial Fora in Rome, we are joined by Claudio Borghi, senator for the League, and Arturo Scotto, member of the Italian Parliament for the Democratic Party (PD).
The debate focuses on the alleged shift in the foreign policy of Giorgia Meloni’s government. In recent months, tensions have grown with the United States and Israel — two of Rome’s historic allies, both led by figures politically close to the Italian prime minister.
The call for European sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, following the shocking video in which he mocked and insulted handcuffed activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, marks the peak of mounting friction with the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, already criticized over its raids in Lebanon.
At the same time, Meloni appears to have fallen out of favor with Donald Trump after defending Pope Leo XIV, calling the U.S. president’s attacks on the pontiff “unacceptable.” More significantly, she ignored Trump’s appeal for military intervention against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“When you behave like a waiter, the boss ends up treating you like a waiter. That’s exactly what happened to Giorgia Meloni. When she tried to distance herself slightly from Donald Trump, he reminded her who the boss is,” Scotto said during the debate. He also strongly backed the idea of severing trade agreements with Israel.
“economic sanctions tend to backfire,” Borghi replied. “The problem is that Italy runs a trade surplus with Israel, which means we would effectively end up sanctioning ourselves,” said the Lega senator, who advocates strong ties with the United States and supports Italy’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The Ring is hosted by Vincenzo Genovese, and produced by Luis Albertos Altarejos and Amaia Echevarria. TV director and Editor: Vassilis Glynos.
You can contact us at: [email protected]
US conducts strikes on Iranian military site amid ongoing ceasefire efforts
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: U.S. carries out new strikes against Iranian military site, official says
The U.S. military conducted defensive strikes against Iranian forces in Bandar Abbas, targeting a ground control station and downing four drones that posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. official confirmed that the actions were intended to maintain a shaky ceasefire with Iran, which is still considered to be holding.
The U.S. military confirmed defensive strikes against Iranian drones in the Strait of Hormuz, with operations ongoing in response to perceived threats. Negotiations for a long-term agreement between the U.S. and Iran may take several days to formalise, and the disposal method for Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains unspecified.
A U.S. official described recent military strikes on Iran as “measured, purely defensive,” emphasising that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains intact. Meanwhile, President Trump indicated a willingness to escalate military action if a satisfactory agreement is not reached, stating that Iran has agreed in principle to dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, though details on execution remain unclear.
What remains unclear — The specifics of how Iran will dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium are not detailed.
US conducts strikes on Iranian military site amid ongoing ceasefire efforts
The U.S. military carried out another round of strikes on Iran, a U.S. official confirmed to WTX US News on Wednesday, another challenge to a shaky ceasefire between the two countries.
The official described the strikes as defensive, shooting down four Iranian drones and hitting a ground control station in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth. The drones posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping chokepoint that has been closed since the war began.
The official said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is still considered to be holding.
“These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” the official added.
Reuters was first to report on the new strikes.
The strikes came just two days after U.S. Central Command confirmed an earlier round of “self-defense strikes” on southern Iran, hitting missile launch sites and Iranian boats that allegedly sought to lay mines. CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said Monday the strikes were carried out to “protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
Iran condemned the earlier strikes, calling the move a “grave violation of the ceasefire” and vowing that the Iranian government “will not leave any act of hostility unanswered.”
The attacks come as President Trump presses Iran to strike a longer-term agreement with the United States — and threatens to resume a large-scale bombing campaign if Iran does not agree to his terms.
Over the weekend, the president expressed optimism, saying a peace deal had been “largely negotiated.” But by Wednesday, Mr. Trump appeared less confident, saying at a Cabinet meeting that the U.S. is “not satisfied.”
“Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe we don’t,” Mr. Trump said, adding that he thinks Iran wants to make a deal.
A senior Trump administration official said Sunday that Iran had agreed in principle to a template for a deal, though it could take several days to formalize and sign a final agreement. The deal under discussion would involve a two-step process. First, Iran would immediately allow the Strait of Hormuz to open in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. After that, the two sides would negotiate on a mechanism for Iran to give up various parts of its nuclear program.
Iran agreed in principle to dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the Trump administration official said. Exactly how the nearly weapons-grade material would be disposed of is unclear. Mr. Trump wrote on social media Monday that the material could either be destroyed in the U.S. or “preferably” in Iran.
Experts warn Putin may compel Belarus to engage in Ukraine conflict
11:00 pm
Get you up to speed: ‘Serious possibility’ Putin could drag Belarus into Ukraine war | News World
Vladimir Putin is reportedly pressuring Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to join the conflict in Ukraine, amidst ongoing military infrastructure developments in Belarus. Ukrainian officials have stated that Russia is enhancing its military capabilities in Belarus, raising concerns of an imminent invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has identified ongoing military infrastructure developments in Belarus, including new roads and artillery positions along its northern border. The Centre for Strategic and International Studies reports that Russia’s military casualties since February 2022 have reached approximately 1.2 million, highlighting the conflict’s severe toll.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that Ukraine is “war-gaming scenarios” involving Belarus potentially launching strikes towards Chernihiv and Kyiv, with Western leaders closely monitoring the situation. In response to the escalating threat, Ukraine continues to prepare for possible further military actions, while the Ministry of Economic Development in Russia warns of at least two more years of economic stagnation due to the war’s consequences.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how the growing pressure on Lukashenko may affect Belarus’s potential involvement in the conflict.
Experts warn Putin may compel Belarus to engage in Ukraine conflict
The war has costly Russia dearly on the battlefield and economically over the past four years (Picture: EPA)
There is a ‘serious possibility’ that Belarus could invade Ukraine, dragging another European country into the ongoing conflict, an expert has warned
Vladimir Putin is said to be ‘actively pressuring’ Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko to enter the war on his side, according to UK Defence Journal editor George Allison.
He spoke days after Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, held major joint nuclear drills in Belarus.
At the same time, work on infrastructure which would be key to an invasion, like roads and artillery positions, has been ongoing in the former Soviet state along its border with northern Ukraine for months.
All this has sparked fears that Belarus, whose leader has been closely aligned with Putin for decades, is prepared to go beyond vocally supporting Russia to take an active part in the conflict.
Speaking from around 50 miles (70km) from the Belarusian border, Allison told WTX: ‘Ukraine has warned repeatedly this year that Russia is building up military infrastructure in Belarus, including new roads and artillery positions along the northern border.
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Russia and Belarus tested various intercontinental ballistic missiles during their recent four-day joint military exercise (Picture: EPA)
‘Kyiv says Moscow has been actively pressuring Lukashenko to commit Belarusian forces to the conflict, and claims to have details of direct conversations between Putin and the Belarusian leader.’
Allison said Russia had already been using Belarusian territory to ‘enhance’ its drone operations against Ukraine.
Just days ago, the two countries conducted joint exercises in Belarus soil involving nuclear-capable, short-range ballistic Iskander-M missile launchers.
‘Western leaders are watching closely, with (French President Emmanuel) Macron having spoken to Lukashenko by phone this week,’ he added.
‘Ukrainian military assessments have long argued that Minsk’s primary role has been to stretch Kyiv’s defences across multiple fronts, but intelligence now points to something more direct.
‘Zelensky says Ukraine is war-gaming scenarios in which Russia uses Belarus to strike toward (Ukrainian cities) Chernihiv and Kyiv, or potentially a Nato member state.
‘Analysts say a full ground offensive would require Russia to redeploy forces it cannot currently spare from the front line, but the roads, logistics routes and artillery positions going up now mean that could change.
Belarus and Russia sparked alarm among Western leaders with its recent nuclear drills (Picture: Belarusian presidential press service / AFP via Getty Images)
‘This is, I believe, a real and serious possibility. It seems likely to me that the pressure on Lukashenko will only grow.’
Allison spoke amid increasing pressure from within Russia to end the war, which has cost the country dearly on the battlefield and economically.
Russia’s military has suffered around 1.2million casualties since Putin ordered the invasion more than four years ago, according to the think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Its economy has suffered badly too, as world leaders including then-US President Joe Biden joined leaders in what amounted to an economic war on Russia immediately after the invasion.
This included a raft of sanctions, European countries rapidly reducing their reliance on Russian oil, and the nation being removed from the international payment system Swift.
The conflict has led to an economic war on Russia (Picture: Pierre Crom/Getty Images)
While it rode this economic isolation and partially plugged the gap by selling increased amounts of oil to India and China, the moves still had an effect.
The recent loosening of some sanctions, including by the UK and US, amid the conflict between Iran and America, provided rare positive economic news for Putin.
Despite this, even the country’s own Ministry of Economic Development – usually the Kremlin’s in-house optimist – has conceded the country faces at least two more years of stagnation.
Amid this growing discontent, usually loyal Putin supporters have started to voice their concerns.
There are growing fears that Putin could pressure Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko to join Russia in its fight with Ukraine (Picture: EPA)
A well-connected business leader told the Guardian that there was ‘a growing sense that some kind of catastrophe is looming’.
‘There’s definitely been a shift in mood among the elites this year … there is profound disappointment in Putin,’ they added.
‘No one believes everything will suddenly collapse tomorrow.
‘But there is a growing realisation that utterly senseless, self-destructive decisions keep being made.
‘People who once defended Putin no longer do. Any sense of a future has disappeared.’
This pressure may have prompted Putin to use a speech he gave earlier this month on Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany, to say the war ‘was coming to an end’.
How this plays out remains to be seen.
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