Putin shows willingness to end Ukraine crisis through cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his country is ready to end the Ukraine crisis through cooperation if conditions of Russia's security are provided for in a medium and long-term perspective.

Putin held his annual year-end press conference in Moscow on Friday, taking nearly 80 questions from domestic and foreign reporters and Russian citizens on a wide range of topics, including international relations, geopolitical landscape, and Russia's economic and military development.

The Russian president addressed recent statements by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a possible war with Russia. He ridiculed Rutte, citing the recently announced U.S. National Security Strategy.

"Russia in that document was not identified as an enemy or as a target. And the NATO secretary general is preparing to go to war with us. What is this? Do you know how to read? How do you, NATO, aim to be at war with Russia if the main NATO country does not consider us an adversary and enemy?" he said.

Putin also addressed the EU's failed attempt to seize frozen Russian assets, calling such acts "robbery."

"Theft is not a suitable definition. Theft is a covert abduction of property, and they are openly doing this. So, such an act is a robbery," he said.

Speaking of the situation in Ukraine, Putin said the Russian army is steadily advancing on the frontline. He laid out Russia’s perspective on future relations with the EU and ending the conflict in Ukraine.

"We are not fighting with you, but you are fighting with us, with the hands of Ukrainian nationalists. We are ready to stop these hostilities immediately if the conditions of Russia's security are provided for in a medium-term and long-term perspective, and we are ready to cooperate with you," he said.

At the press conference, Putin also stressed that Russia's key economic indicators are under control, with GDP growth estimated at 9.7 percent over the past three years, and 1 percent for 2025.

The Russian president said the slowdown in GDP growth is the result of a deliberate effort to curb inflation, a goal being accomplished with the rate expected to drop to 5.7-5.8 percent by the end of the year.

Russia's budget deficit stood at 2.6 percent of its GDP in 2025, and is expected to narrow to 1.6 percent next year, he added.

Putin shows willingness to end Ukraine crisis through cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday reaffirmed Russia's commitment to stable relations with China, underscoring bilateral ties between the two countries as a crucial factor for global stability.

Putin held his annual year-end press conference in Moscow on Friday, taking nearly 80 questions from domestic and foreign reporters and Russian citizens on a wide range of topics, including international relations, the geopolitical landscape, and Russia's economic and military development.

"I think [Chinese] President Xi Jinping is a close friend and a reliable partner, both for myself and for Russia. Our bilateral relations continue to develop and have expanded into multiple fields. As I have emphasized on multiple occasions and wish to reiterate, Russia-China ties have become a crucial factor for global stability," said Putin in response to a question on Russia-China relations.

"On the international stage, our two foreign ministries maintain close communication and coordinate their agendas consistently. I hope we can work with our Chinese friends to sustain this positive momentum and jointly advance our bilateral relations in the near future and throughout the longer course of history," he said.

The Russian president also emphasized that the two countries have engaged in cooperation across various fields, noting that two-way trade has amounted to 240-250 billion U.S. dollars.

He said it is gratifying to see that Russia-China cooperation has also made headway in such fields as high-tech manufacturing, science and education, cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and space exploration, calling these achievements a reflection of the high level of mutual trust between the two countries.

Putin says Russia-China ties crucial factor for global stability