Syria, Ukraine, Trump… What to remember from Vladimir Putin’s show

It’s an annual show in Russia, Vladimir Putin is holding a press conference this Thursday, December 19 to “take stock of the year”. The Russian president answers questions from journalists, but also questions from hand-picked citizens. And obviously the war in Ukraine was mentioned.

It was past noon in Moscow when the Putin show started. The Russian president, black suit, white shirt, burgundy tie, began with a long presentation on Russia’s economic health. He recognized a “worrying inflation”but a rather stable general situation, much better than in Europe, according to him.

In the room, participants show a card with the theme they wish to address. But it was to a resident of Kursk, on the phone, that Vladimir Putin first responded. Tatiana is worried about seeing the Ukrainian army occupying her region. She would like the Russian forces to push her back.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad, not a “defeat” for Moscow

“I cannot and do not want to give a precise date,” replied the Russian president. “Our guys are fighting right now, but we will push back the Ukrainian army, that’s for sure. It can’t be any other way! And after that, we will rebuild everything. The road network, the schools and the housing, of course. Be sure, dear Tatiana, everything will be rebuilt.”

No admission of failure for the master of the Kremlin on the Ukrainian front, as on the subject of Syria. The fall of Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Moscow, is not a “defeat” for Russia, assures Vladimir Putin who adds

“We are trying to present what happened in Syria as a defeat for Russia. I assure you that this is not the case“, he declares. “We came to Syria ten years ago to prevent a terrorist enclave from being created there, like in Afghanistan. Overall, we achieved our objective,” he says.

“Ready” for a meeting with Trump

When Donald Trump returns to the White House on January 20, the Russian president says he “ready” to meet him “at any time” the US president-elect who recently called for a ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

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