Russian President Vladimir Putin has delivered his New Year’s address. With the Kremlin as a backdrop, he addressed the Russian people directly and urged them to be proud of what he believed to be the country’s achievements. According to Russian state media, however, Putin stressed that much remains to be resolved
– Now, on the eve of the new year, we are thinking about the future. We are convinced that everything will be fine. We will just keep moving forward. We know for sure that the absolute value for us was, is and will be the fate of Russia, the well-being of its citizens, he said, according to Reuters.
The words about the soldiers
During the speech, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was never mentioned. On the other hand, Putin paid tribute to the country’s soldiers, something he has done since the start of the invasion. The speech, which was three minutes long, was delivered exactly 25 years since Vladimir Putin took over from Boris Yeltsin.
– On this New Year’s Eve, the thoughts and hopes of millions of families throughout Russia are with our soldiers and their commanders, he says.
The Dictator’s Tribute
On the same day that Putin gave his New Year’s speech, North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-Un took the opportunity to pay tribute to the Russian president in a New Year’s letter where he called him “his dearest friend and comrade”. The President of China, Xi Jinping, has also sent a New Year’s greeting to Putin, in which he promises to work for world peace.
“No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain steadfast in further deepening reforms and promoting world peace and development,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.