Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health has been the subject of intense speculation for years – and it appears he was in discomfort during a highly anticipated meeting with Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin’s health has sparked fresh concern after the Russian leader was spotted with a noticeable limp whilst descending from his aircraft to meet Donald Trump.
Putin was compelled to halt midway down the steps of his official jet this evening ahead of his encounter with the American President.
This occurred moments before their pivotal discussions in Alaska, designed to hammer out a peace settlement for Ukraine.
Speculation surrounding Putin’s physical condition has been rife for years, and his touchdown in Anchorage is bound to intensify such gossip.
The 72-year-old appeared to grimace whilst making his way across the red carpet to welcome Mr Trump, where the pair ultimately shared cordial greetings and firm handshakes, reports the Mirror.
This development follows concerns about Donald Trump’s mental state being ‘clear to see’ as lawmakers were urged to ‘act now’.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy fuelled conjecture about the dictator’s wellbeing when he declared the Russian strongman “will die soon”.
Whispers regarding Putin’s health have been doing the rounds in recent years, with former spy chiefs and Russian insiders amongst those suggesting he might be gravely – or even fatally – unwell.
Certain analysts have suggested that his choice to launch the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was partly driven by an increasing awareness of his own finite existence, with the ex-KGB operative reportedly becoming more fixated on establishing his historical standing after growing paranoid throughout the Covid crisis.
Here’s what we’ve gathered about Putin’s health: One of the prevailing theories surrounding Putin’s wellbeing suggests he’s battling a form of Parkinson’s disease. Sir Richard Dearlove, former chief of MI6, indicated last year that persistent worries about the Russian leader’s condition were probably linked to this degenerative illness, which typically starts with tremors before progressing to restricted movement and cognitive decline.
When quizzed about “how well or sick” the Kremlin supremo might be, the ex-MI6 chief replied: “I do not have a clear answer to that, but I have contacts and friends still in eastern Europe who think that there is something fundamentally wrong with him medically. But I’m not a clinician.”
He went on to suggest it was “probably Parkinson’s, which of course has different representations, different variations, different seriousness. But if the man is paranoid – and I think the murder of Navalny might suggest a certain paranoia – that is one of the symptoms.”
Numerous health speculations have been fuelled by clips showing the Russian president shaking and trembling uncontrollably. Initial reports of these episodes surfaced around 2022, and have continued as additional footage has emerged showing him experiencing spasms in his arms and legs during broadcast events.
Putin was spotted trembling “uncontrollably” during a February meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and at one stage seemed to grip his hand in an attempt to halt the shaking. Back in November, he looked unable to manage his movements whilst delivering an hour-long address from a podium in Kazakhstan.
Noticeable tremors started in his left foot, before extending to both legs and feet.
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