Ankur Desai

because whenever Vladimir Putin goes abroad on a state visit, whether it's to India or whether it's to China, the Kremlin can use this and turns to the West and says, the West tried to isolate Russia, it slapped sanctions on Russia, it tried to turn President Putin into a pariah after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But look, there are plenty of countries, Russia would argue, and powerful countries who want to do business with Russia still.

Our Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg.

Now, for more analysis on this story, you can go on YouTube, search for BBC News and click on the logo.

Then choose podcasts and then click on Global News Podcast.

There's a new story available every weekday.

Next, journalists in the US have faced restrictions on reporting on the military since October.

The rules require Pentagon reporters to sign a pledge which includes only reporting information authorised by officials.

Now the New York Times is suing the US Department of Defence.

Our global affairs reporter Mimi Swaby told me more.

These rules from the Pentagon, which came into effect in October, essentially require reporters to sign a pretty lengthy 21-page form that sets out limits on journalistic activity when it comes to reporting on the US military.

And this includes requesting for story tips as well as inquiries to sources.

And this is a huge difference from the previous kind of formal regulation, both in its length and scope.

It essentially means that accredited journalists can only report on information when it's been authorised by officials.

Now, very few major outlets agreed to this or signed it.

Most said they're going to report from outside of the Pentagon.

And so taking their place, new arrivals have seemingly featured an array of more conservative pro-Trump organizations and bloggers.

This policy, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced it, has basically to protect the U.S.

from potentially dangerous leaks.

And they've said that having permission to the Pentagon is a privilege that comes with its own difficulties and it's a privilege subject to negotiation.