Putin Is Rapidly Running Out of Allies

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has become the latest prominent figure considered close to Vladimir Putin to seemingly turn his back on the Russian leader.

Stopping the expansion of NATO was one reason Putin gave for his invasion of Ukraine, but the Russian leader now faces an even bigger alliance of 32 members instead of the pre-war bloc of 30, after Erdoğan dropped Ankara's objection to Stockholm's membership on Monday. Sweden is now to join Finland in abandoning decades of neutrality.

Erdoğan's sudden reversal comes just over two weeks after Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin staged a mutiny against the Russian president. It also follows that of another leader who has shown his solidarity with Putin, Hungary's Viktor Orbán.