Takeaways From Putin's Annual Press Conference, Q&A Session
© Sputnik . Sergey Guneev
/ Subscribe
Russia's positive economic balance, the possibility of restoring relations with the West, the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip, the goals and conditions for peace in Ukraine: these are the main issues addressed by the Russian president during his four-hour televised press conference and question-and-answer session.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a televised press conference on Thursday, a marathon four-hour Q&A session with journalists and citizens. In total, the head of state answered 67 questions. Sputnik Africa summarized the key topics discussed at the event.
Russian Economy 'Strong Enough to Move Forward'
Russian economy is expected to grow in 2023 at 3.5% after last year's fall, Putin stressed;
The strength of the Russian economy is "sufficient not only to feel confident, but also to move forward;"
Industrial production in Russia is on the rise, the banking system is stable;
The unemployment rate in the country has fallen to 2.9%, a level never seen in the country's history;
Inflation in Russia may accelerate to 8% by the end of the year, but the authorities are taking measures to control it;
Russia's external public debt has decreased from $46 billion to $32 billion, and private companies are also repaying their debts at a steady pace.
Objectives of Special Military Operation in Ukraine
The Russian president called the conflict with Ukraine a "civil war between brothers".
"NATO's unbridled desire to get closer to our borders has led to the tragedies that we are currently experiencing," Putin said.
The issue of denazification is still relevant;
Kiev does not want to reach a peace agreement, Russia is forced to take other measures;
Since the beginning of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia has destroyed 747 tanks and 2,300 armored vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces;
Kiev is pushing its soldiers to extermination, the Ukrainian army itself says that this is a one-way road;
In total, there are 617,000 Russian military personnel at the front, of which 244,000 are mobilized.
"I am sure that the victory will be ours," the head of state underlined.
United States Pursue 'Imperial Policy,' EU is Not Autonomous
The normalization of relations with the EU and the West in general depends not only on Russia. It was not Moscow that spoiled relations with the West, Putin recalled.
According to him, the European Union has significantly lost its independence and is taking decisions to its own detriment. Thus, several European leaders pose as General de Gaulle, but in practice realize the policy of Marshal Petain, who collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War.
"As for the United States, we are ready to build relations with them. We believe that the United States is an important and necessary country in the world, but this imperial policy, absolutely imperial, hinders them," he said.
The United States must learn to respect other countries and seek compromises rather than pressure through force and sanctions.
At the moment, there are still no fundamental conditions for building relations with the US, he said.
In addition, Vladimir Putin said he "hopes" for an agreement with the US regarding Americans detained in Russia. The conditions for such a return must be mutually acceptable.
He also discussed his contacts with French President Emmanuel Macron. The head of state said he was open to contacts, but it was the French leader who, at some point, stopped communicating with him.
Situation in Gaza
"What is happening in the Gaza Strip is a catastrophe," Putin said, calling for the creation of the foundations for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement and to resolve the issue of the creation of a Palestinian state.
Russia is ready to open its hospital in the Gaza Strip, but Israel does not accept it yet. In addition, Moscow plans to increase its deliveries of medicines to the enclave.
Putin highlighted the important role that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plays in the issue.
In terms of destruction, the conflict in Ukraine is nothing like what is happening in the Gaza Strip, the president assured.
Sport Falls Under Influence of Western Political Elites
The Russian president called the actions of international Olympic officials towards Russia a distortion of the ideas of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to make Russian and Belarusian athletes participate under a neutral flag at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The IOC has become too dependent on sponsors and risks "burying the Olympic movement", according to him.
Putin says he is against calls to suspend Israeli athletes, sport should be outside politics;
It is necessary to carefully analyze the conditions set by the IOC for the admission of Russian athletes to the Olympic Games.
The conditions of the IOC can artificially "disconnect" Russian athletes from the Olympic Games. In this case, a "balanced decision" on participation is necessary.
Russian-Chinese Relations
Vladimir Putin drew attention to the unprecedented level of cooperation between Russia and China. The volume of trade between the nations exceeded $200 billion in 2023.
Rise of Islamophobia
The leader denounced the manifestations of Islamophobia in the world, which, according to him, is part of nationalism and results from the policies of certain political elites.
Sabotage of Nord Stream
The US was behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022, Putin said.
"If Europe does not receive enough gas, it is not our problem. We did not close the gas pipelines, we did not blow up Nord Stream," he added.
Unusual Questions
The television appointment did not take place without unusual questions. Thus, Putin was challenged by his own doppelganger, created by AI, who asked if it was true that the President had a lot of body doubles.
In addition, a young girl asked if artificial intelligence could replace parents and grandparents. "No one can replace the grandmother," the Russian president assured her.
Finally, the presenter asked him who he wanted to be when he was a child. A pilot, Putin replied.
