Vladimir Putin said Thursday, December 19, during his annual televised question-and-answer session, ready to meet “ at any time » US President-elect Donald Trump, who recently called for a ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
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“ I’m ready to do it, of course. Anytime “, affirmed the Russian president, saying he had not spoken with Donald Trump “ for more than four years “.
This long live conference, although carefully staged, constitutes one of the rare opportunities to ask sensitive questions of the Russian president for the country’s journalists and citizens. The show, which this year lasted nearly 4:30 hours and concluded around 1:40 p.m. UT, took place one month before the return to the White House of Donald Trump.
The Republican, already president from 2017 to 2021, has repeatedly promised to bring peace to Ukraine “ in 24 hours » and called for a “ immediate ceasefire » as well as talks. “ If we ever meet President-elect Trump, I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about “, said Vladimir Putin.
Progress in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin assured that the Russia was ready for a dialogue » with theUkrainebut only on the basis of “ realities on the ground », a way of saying that his country would not return the conquered territories. He rejected any truce, which would allow the Ukrainian army to “ take a break » and rearm.
Also readUkraine: Donald Trump calls for an “immediate ceasefire”
Vladimir Putin showed his confidence in him on Thursday, estimating that the situation “ changed radically » on the front in Ukraine, where its troops are progressing at a pace not seen since the first months of 2022.
President Putin, on the other hand, admitted that he did not know when his army would manage to drive Ukrainian forces out of the Russian region of Kursk, where they still occupy several hundred square kilometers despite attempts by Russian troops to dislodge them.
“ We will absolutely defeat them “, nevertheless assured the Russian president. This offensive, the largest on Russian territory since the Second World War, is a source of embarrassment for the Kremlin, which wants to persuade that the conflict in Ukraine has no impact on the daily lives of Russians. If he had to do it again, Vladimir Putin would have said “ earlier » its offensive against its neighbor, he assured, implying that Russia should have better prepared for it.
Putin offers the West a “ high-tech duel… »
Vladimir Putin also praised his new “Orechnik” missile, a “ modern weapon » which can carry a nuclear charge and strike thousands of kilometers away. The Russian military first used it on November 21 against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, presenting it as a response to recent Ukrainian strikes against Russian soil using American and British missiles.
The Russian president has since threatened to strike kyiv, and even directly the Western countries which arm Ukraine. On Thursday, Vladimir Putin proposed to the West a “ high-tech duel of the 21st century » between the Russian Orechnik and their anti-aircraft defense means. “ Let them determine a target. Let’s say: kyiv “, he said. “ We’ll throw a strike there, and see what happens. »
Also readRussia: the war in Ukraine has taken on a “global character”, says Vladimir Putin
Syria, not one defeat » for Russia
Another important international subject, Vladimir Putin assured that the fall in Syria of Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Moscow, was not a “ defeat ” for Russia, which avoided the creation of a ” terrorist enclave “. The fate of the two Russian military bases in Syria, crucial for Russian operations in the Mediterranean, is however up in the air.
We must decide for ourselves what form our relations will take with the political forces that control today and will control the situation in this country in the future. Our interests must coincide. If we stay there, we must also act in the interest of the country where we are. What will these interests be, what can we do for them? This is a question that requires careful research on both sides. But we can already, immediately, do something using these bases. We have already proposed it to our partners, in particular to those who are on Syrian territory, and to neighboring countries to use, for example, the Hmeimim military base to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria. The same goes for the Tartus naval base.
Vladimir Putin on the future for Russian bases in Syria
Vladimir Putin claimed to have not yet seen Bashar al-Assad, who found refuge in Russia with his family, but to have “ the intention » to speak with him.
He also called on Israel to withdraw its troops from “ Syrian territory », these having been deployed in a buffer zone controlled by the UN separating the two countries on the Golan Heights.
On the internal level…
Domestically, the Russian leader criticized his special services, which were unable to prevent the assassination on Tuesday of Russian general Igor Kirillov, assassinated Tuesday in an explosion in Moscow claimed by kyiv. “ We must not allow such flaws “, he insisted.
The leader also admitted that galloping inflation in Russia, at 8.9% in November according to official figures, was a “ worrying signal “. The Russian economy, after having resisted over the last three years, is showing signs of running out of steam, with in particular a surge in interest rates which is handicapping businesses, the weakening of the ruble, and gloomy prospects for 2025. The situation of the economy is stable », however tried to convince Vladimir Putin in this show watched by millions of Russians.