Putin Claims He Is Open To Talk To Trump As He Boasts About Gains In Ukraine | rssama.com

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin boasted that his subject cognition successful Ukraine has strengthened Russia and denied that nan downfall of a cardinal state successful Syria had dented Moscow’s prestige, arsenic he sought to task spot and easiness astatine his yearly news convention and call-in show Thursday.

As is typical, nan Russian leader utilized the tightly choreographed event, which usually lasts hours, to reenforce his authority and show a sweeping bid of everything from user prices to subject hardware.

He claimed that astir 3 years of fighting successful Ukraine has hardened nan Russian system and nan country’s subject and hailed his troops’ gains there.

“Russia has go overmuch stronger complete nan past 2 aliases 3 years because it has go a genuinely sovereign country,” he said. “We are opinionated patient successful position of economy, we are strengthening our defense imaginable and our subject capacity now is nan strongest successful nan world.”

Putin, who has held powerfulness for astir a quarter-century, said nan subject was “advancing toward achieving our goals” successful what he calls nan typical subject cognition successful Ukraine.

In consequence to a mobility astir a new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile that Russia utilized for nan first clip past period to onslaught Ukraine, Putin scoffed astatine claims by immoderate Western experts that it could beryllium intercepted by NATO’s aerial defenses.

He mockingly challenged Ukraine’s Western friends to a “high-tech duel,” suggesting that Moscow could springiness beforehand announcement of a onslaught connected Kyiv pinch nan Oreshnik rocket — and spot if nan West could protect nan city.

“Let them prime a target, perchance successful Kyiv, put their aerial defense assets location and we shall onslaught it pinch Oreshnik,” he said pinch a barren smile. “Let’s spot what happens.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during his yearly news convention and call-in show astatine Gostinny Dvor successful Moscow, Russia, connected Dec. 19, 2024.

Alexander Zemlianichenko via Associated Press

Russian troops are making steady, if slow, advances successful Ukraine — but nan Kremlin has besides suffered immoderate embarrassing setbacks. Just this week, a elder Russian wide was killed by a explosive extracurricular his flat building successful Moscow. The brazen sidesplitting of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, claimed by Ukraine, brought nan conflict erstwhile again to nan streets of nan Russian capital.

Moscow’s troops are besides battling Ukrainian forces successful nan Russian region of Kursk, wherever they person launched an incursion. Asked erstwhile they would thrust nan Ukrainians out, Putin responded that “we will surely footwear them out” but wouldn’t opportunity really agelong it will take.

In past years, nan show, which is broadcast unrecorded by state-controlled TV stations crossed Russia’s 11 clip zones, has been heavy dominated by home issues, pinch journalists and mean group calling successful to inquire astir roadworthy repairs, inferior prices and authorities subsidies. But nan Russian leader is particulalry watched for his answers connected overseas affairs.

In a flourish emblematic of nan marathon news conferences, he asked group successful nan assemblage to unfurl a banner presented to him by marines fighting successful Kursk arsenic he answered questions astir Ukraine.

Putin said that he was unfastened to imaginable talks pinch U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to discuss a woody to extremity nan hostilities successful Ukraine.

“If we meet pinch Mr. Trump, we will person things to discuss,” he said, without offering specifics.

Putin has antecedently demanded that Ukraine renounce its bid to subordinate NATO and admit Russia’s gains. Ukraine and nan West person rejected those demands.

In his first comments connected Assad’s demise, Putin said that he hadn’t yet met nan erstwhile Syrian ruler, whom he has fixed asylum successful Moscow. He said that he plans to and will inquire him astir Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing successful Syria 12 years ago.

“We besides tin airs nan mobility to group who power nan business connected nan crushed successful Syria,” Putin said, successful consequence to a mobility from NBC’s Keir Simmons, who cited a missive he said Tice’s mother wrote to nan Russian leader seeking assistance.

Moscow has quickly sought to found contacts pinch nan rebels who ousted Assad to unafraid its negotiated and subject unit successful nan state and effort to widen nan lease connected its aerial and naval bases successful nan country.

But it’s unclear really overmuch power Russia will person successful Syria going forward.

Assad’s demise has dealt it a achy rustle since Russia has fought for 9 years to prop up nan Syrian leader successful nan country’s civilian war.

Still, Putin denied that nan events had weakened Moscow, arguing that it has achieved nan extremity of destroying “terrorist” groups successful nan state group erstwhile it launched an aerial run successful support of Assad successful 2015. He claimed that rebel groups that were fighting against Assad person changed and nan West is now fresh to found ties pinch them.

“That intends that our goals person been achieved,” Putin said.

Putin added that Russia whitethorn support its subject outposts, saying that Moscow has offered nan caller rulers usage of nan aerial and naval bases for humanitarian assistance deliveries.

Putin began nan convention by saying that Russia’s system is connected way to turn by astir 4% this year. He acknowledged that user prices are high, pinch ostentation astatine 9.3%, but insisted that nan economical business remains “stable.”

The yearly show is arsenic overmuch spectacle arsenic news conference. Journalists successful nan hallway adjacent nan Kremlin activity colorful signs and placards arsenic they effort desperately to pull Putin’s attention.

Russian authorities media reported that mean citizens submitted much than 2 cardinal questions up of nan show.