President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening. Please, what are your questions?
Yekaterina Abramova: Good evening, Mr President.
Yekaterina Abramova, Mir television and radio company.
You devoted yesterday entirely to an informal summit of the Commonwealth countries and you spent all the day with your fellow presidents. Today, we can say, you have a full-fledged summit, an EAEC summit with a large agenda. Can you tell us what outcomes of these two days you would note?
Vladimir Putin: You know, it's not about the results of the two days, it's about the results of the year. There are indicators, they are official, no one disputes them, they are objective data: we have a substantial growth in trade despite the recession suffered by many of our formerly traditional partners. In the eurozone, you know, the growth is one percent and in Belarus 5.4–5.5 percent according to the year results.
We, in Rusia, are also generally content with the results – 3.9, likely to be up to 4. But Belarus has 5.5. This is a good result. In Armenia, let us say, even more. And the trade between Russia and Armenia has doubled year-on-year, doubled, and will amount to over $10 billion by the end of the year. And the same is with practically all the countries. This is the outcome.
See also
As for the work during the past two days, one can sum it up in brief: we have become closer to each other.
Welcome.
Pavel Zarubin: Good afternoon. Pavel Zarubin. Rossiya TV channel.
There are increasing statements and conjectures abroad – both from political analysts and officials – suggesting that the conflict in Ukraine might be resolved as early as next year. Everyone is curious about how this might unfold, and there is speculation from the Trump team…
Vladimir Putin: As the saying goes, “From your lips to God’s ears.” We are indeed working towards ending the conflict.
Pavel Zarubin: The Trump team has mentioned, and directly stated, that the conflict could potentially be frozen if there is a guaranteed delay in Ukraine’s accession to NATO by 10 to 20 years. What is your opinion on this proposal?
Vladimir Putin: Who are making these claims?
Pavel Zarubin: The Trump administration, with speculation citing the special envoy for the Ukrainian crisis on this issue.
Vladimir Putin: I understand. I am unaware of the current discussions within the incoming team of the President-elect of the United States. However, it is no secret that President Biden, who remains in office, proposed exactly this to me back in 2021. He suggested postponing Ukraine’s NATO membership for 10 to 15 years, as it was not ready at that time. To which I replied sensibly, “Well, it is not ready today, but you will prepare it and accept it.” In the grand scheme of history, this is merely a fleeting moment. What difference does it make to us whether it happens today, tomorrow, or in 10 years?
I am not acquainted with the statements from the President-elect’s future team. But if this is true, what’s the difference between the current administration’s position and the proposals you’ve just mentioned? There is no difference whatsoever.
I am uncertain about how this situation will evolve and what instructions the President-elect will issue to his administration colleagues. Time will tell.
Yes, please, Andrei.
Andrei Kolesnikov: Kommersant newspaper.
Mr President, do you anticipate anything for yourself and, more importantly, of yourself before the year’s end?
Vladimir Putin: The question is somewhat ambiguous. What do you mean by “of yourself?” Andrei, I’m not quite sure what “of myself” entails. I do not have expectations of myself. I consider myself a predictable, composed individual who acts according to a plan. This plan encompasses all my actions, those of the Government, the Executive Office, and the Central Bank. We synchronise our steps, operating in a stable and predictable manner. We do not anticipate anything out of the ordinary, and it is impossible to foresee anything extraordinary.
Andrei Kolesnikov: Some are anticipating Oreshnik to take off and land, for instance.
Vladimir Putin: You see, we always respond in kind. If certain weapons are used against us, we employ the same in return. For instance, they launched a strike by five to seven ATACMS systems. Did you hear the announcement made yesterday or the day before? The Russian Armed Forces responded with a comprehensive strike – 240 or 221 strikes, something of that sort, using precision long-range weaponry.
If necessary, and we determine the need for more powerful medium-range weapons, we will undoubtedly use them. However, we are not in a rush. It is not a secret, and we are not concealing it, as I have previously mentioned – we do not currently have many Oreshnik systems. However, we possess them, and not just one system. We are not in a hurry to deploy them, as these are powerful weapons, designed to address specific challenges. We have commenced serial production and will manufacture the required quantity. We will position some on Belarusian territory. Our approach is methodical. However, we do not exclude the possibility of deploying them today or tomorrow if such a need arises.
Question: Mr President, the leap year is drawing to an end, and as one would expect, it was quite a challenging year. What would you like the next year bring us? What is the most important thing for you, if we are talking about Russia, of course?
Vladimir Putin: The well-being of the Russian people, the standard of living, and stability is what matters most. In the economic sphere, I would like to see inflation stabilise, no more leaps and bounds. We also need economic growth to continue.
I discussed growth with my colleagues. We do not plan to have the same numbers – four percent – next year as we did this year. Strange as it may sound, given the macroeconomic realities, we do not need this kind of growth yet. Although, of course, the more the better, it would seem, but all of this must take place in line with the macroeconomic parameters, otherwise the economy will get skewed, which may eventually cause harm to us.
Therefore, our proposals and plans are balanced, and we are pursuing a balanced macroeconomic policy.
We look forward to seeing higher incomes. Of course, we assume that we will work to accomplish all the tasks of the special military operation. This is our number one task.
We will support our military. We are sitting talking here, while they are fighting.
You know, I will not go into details, or discuss specific sections of the front, but when I am asking for updates – and I do every day, day and night, in the direct sense of the word. There are certain developments unfolding at certain sections, with our servicemen forcing water obstacles. In some places, they do so using technical means, in others they are not. I ask the commanders, “How do your men cross this water barrier?” They tell me they ford it. Here we are standing in a warm place. It is windy outside, but it is warm here and plenty of light. Meanwhile, the troops are fording water obstacles. What is that? They are walking chest-deep in water and carrying automatic rifles above water. They are fighting for Russia.
We operate on the premise that we will be successful on the line of contact. And we will achieve those successes, and resolve economic issues. The economy is the basis for everything, including resolving social issues, military security issues, and security in the broadest sense of the word. We will move forward in accordance with our plans. I have reasons to believe that this is the way it is going to be.
Please go ahead.
Olga Matveyeva: Olga Matveyeva, Mayak and Vesti FM radio stations.
The residents of the Kursk Region, who suffered from shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have started to receive housing certificates. They can use them to either repair the damaged housing or buy housing in various regions of Russia.
The Belgorod Region has an absolutely different approach. There, residents receive money into special accounts, which they can then use only to repair their damaged houses. Can you please tell me whether the federal authorities or you are planning to introduce housing certificates in the Belgorod Region in the same way, so that they can use them to buy housing in other regions of Russia and, perhaps, move to safer places, if they want? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: You know, we believe that such issues should be resolved by local and regional authorities through dialogue with the people. The task of the federal authorities and the Ministry of Finance is to allocate the necessary financial resources. We have this money, and we give as much as the region needs. And the region, in dialogue with the people – this is what I want to emphasise and repeat once again – must choose the best way to solve these issues for itself and for the people.
If someone in the Kursk Region or any other place decides that it is better to receive certificates and give the people an opportunity and the right to choose housing wherever they want in the Russian Federation, we will accommodate such people’s wish. For us, the challenge is only to ensure that people who have already suffered so much, and have gone through so much hardship, that they solve their basic problems. One of them, of course, is housing. So, this question is not to be addressed to us, this is a question to regional authorities.
I have just talked to the Governor of the Belgorod Region, just put down the receiver and came to you. We discussed a variety of issues, but we keep contact all the time. We will do as they recommend us. I hope that their recommendations will be based on the wishes of those people who live in these territories.
Alexander Yunashev: Good afternoon, Mr President. Happy upcoming New Year!
Yunashev, Life. You just said that you remain in constant communication with the commanders, day and night, which means you must have the most complete information about the situation on the line of contact.
Vladimir Putin: Complete, correct. Whether it is the most complete, or not is hard to say, but it is extensive enough.
Alexander Yunashev: And we noticed that you have a well-honed intuition.
What do you believe in deep down? Do you believe that the conflict will be over in 2025, of course, with us emerging victorious?
Vladimir Putin: I believe in God, and God is with us.
Anything else? Please go ahead.
Yuliya Bubnova: Yuliya Bubnova, TASS news agency.
We have a question about Robert Fico's visit. He was here last weekend on a visit. Could you share with us what you agreed upon? Did you manage to resolve the issue of gas supplies to Slovakia and, more broadly, Europe? Is it true that he offered his country as a venue for talks with Trump? If so, what did you say to him?
Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: You know, as a rule, we do not make public issues that we discuss unless we agree on what we will share with the media. But I think Mr Fico will not be upset with me.
Yes, indeed, he said that in case the talks focus on peaceful settlement. I want to emphasise that Mr Fico – he may disagree with the Ukrainian leaders, someone else, or the European Union where they are unable to come to terms on certain things, but he was mainly talking about peaceful settlement in Ukraine. He was, as they say, “pushing hard” for it. So, I am not sure what kind of complaints Europe or anyone else may have with regard to him. This is what he was talking about, this is what he accentuated. This is my first point.
Second, concerning the venue. Indeed, he said that if it comes to talks, they would be happy to make their country available as a venue for such talks. We are not against it if it comes to that. Why not? Slovakia has adopted a neutral stance. From our point of view, their position is neutral, which is an acceptable option for us.
As for energy supply agreements, we have always stood for such supplies, for depoliticising economic matters. We have never refused to supply energy to Europe, have we? I have said this a thousand times, and I can repeat that it was Poland that stopped energy transits via its territory. That route is operational. Nobody has hit it, there were no explosions, so it can be used. You only need to press the button, and gas will flow through it to Poland. It is the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which runs across Poland. You can turn it on any day, and we will supply our gas.
Another route runs across Ukraine.
We supplied gas via it even despite the war; we paid for the transit, and we continue to pay for it. What is happening there? There are two routes across Ukraine, via Sudzha and Sokhranovka.
Our forces have taken over Sokhranovka, and the route has been operating normally for six months, if not longer. Ukrainian specialists worked at the checkpoint, and nobody harassed them or messed with them. They operated the system in accordance with the established procedure, and everything was fine. But Kiev suddenly decided that it should be shut down, and they have done so, under the pretext that it was controlled by the Russian troops. Why did not they do so six months ago? It has been operating normally, which means that they have some other reasons. I do not understand what it could be.
Or take Sudzha, where fighting is ongoing. It is essentially controlled by Ukraine, yet we continue to supply 14 million cubic metres a day. Do you see what I mean?
Even though they control Sudzha now, they have announced that they will not renew the transit contract. It was not us who said that the operations will be stopped, they announced they would not renew the contract. Ok, they do not want it – so let it be so.
They are eating from Europe’s hand because Ukraine cannot continue to fight – let alone exist without Europe’s support. But they have decided to punish Europe by terminating the contract on transit of our gas to Europe, where the situation is becoming difficult with gas prices running at about US$500 per 1,000 cubic metres.
At this point in time, I can tell you that there is no transit contract, and it is impossible to sign a new one within three or four days. Meanwhile, prices will continue to grow. We have not provoked this; it is their policy. Do you agree?
What is the problem? They have said that there will be no contract, that they would not extend it. And then they realised this has created a problem for them and panicked. What does this mean? They have appealed to everyone they could to replace Naftogaz Ukraine as a party to a transit contract with us, so that gas will run to the border under Gazprom’s control and across Ukraine under someone else’s control. They want the relevant structures in Hungary, Slovakia, Türkiye or Azerbaijan to sign a contract for gas transit via Ukraine, and Gazprom would have to deal with its partners once this gas reaches Ukraine’s border with Europe.
The problem is that Gazprom has long-term contracts – some until 2035, others until 2049. And these contracts will have to be renegotiated in order to adapt to this new transit environment. This is an extremely complex procedure, hard-to-solve, insoluble even – this is the first point.
And the second point is this. I am explaining this in such detail to keep everyone informed and avoid subsequent speculations. Ukraine has shut down one of the transit routes for Russian gas exports to Europe, the pipeline that runs via Sokhranovka. They just closed it, and that was it. We had been operating under a ship-or-pay contract. They closed it and then sued us demanding payment for gas that did not transit through Ukraine. When Gazprom asked: “Are you crazy or what? You closed that transit,” they said: “Well, we did, but you have to pay anyway.” Sheer nonsense!
Now they said they would allow a third party to operate gas transits via their territory. At the same time, they refused to withdraw their claim from the Court of Arbitration. If the court rules in Ukraine’s favour, then you and I, and many hundreds, 150 million Russian citizens, will be supplying gas to any European country without getting money for that because the money will go to Ukraine to pay off its claim against Gazprom. Under the court’s decision, this money will be debited directly, as they call it. This is absurd! We cannot do this.
We said we were ready to supply gas even if it would be through Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, or a Turkish company, or a Hungarian or Slovak company, but they needed to withdraw the lawsuit. What kind of nonsense is this? They still said no. Well, you have made your bed, now lie in it – live without our gas.
It is time to bring it to a close.
Let’s take a question from a red tie over there, very pre-New Year style.
Nikolai Ivanov: Thank you.
Nikolai Ivanov, Izvestia.
Mr President, earlier this week, the Foreign Intelligence Service reported that –
Vladimir Putin: Don’t scare us, we are placid already.
Nikolai Ivanov: The Foreign Intelligence Service has reported that Moldova could become a new hot spot on the map. The Foreign Ministry warned yesterday about an attempt to destabilise Belarus – of course, with the help of the West. This may be a naïve question: what do we need to do to stop these attempts to set our borders on fire?
Vladimir Putin: We need to be strong.
Happy New Year! Goodbye and all the best.