As Russia's invasion of Ukraine has blown up into a conflict of horrific atrocities against civilians, nations around the world have lined up to condemn it — even historically neutral countries such as Switzerland.

But former televangelist Pat Robertson, who came out of his retirement to weigh in on the situation, sees something even grander in the whole affair — according to him, Vladimir Putin is being willed by God to conduct the invasion, as a way of triggering the End Times.