MOSCOW // The latest news from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s end of year news conference:
On Russia’s military operation in Syria
President Vladimir Putin said that Russian military operation in Syria will continue until a political process starts. Mr Putin said at a televised news conference that once the Syrians decide it is time to stop fighting and launch talks, “we aren’t going to be more Syrian than the Syrians themselves,” and Moscow will wrap up its military action.
He said that he was unsure whether Russia needs a permanent military base in Syria. He said new Russian weapons, such as sea and air-launched cruise missiles, give Moscow enough punch to strike an enemy and there may be no need for a permanent base in Syria.
President Vladimir Putin says the Syrian people themselves must determine who rules the country.
Mr Putin, who met US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this week, said Moscow supports a US draft of a UN Security Council resolution on Syria. He said a new constitution for Syria must be drafted, and a new election prepared in which the Syrians themselves will determine its leadership.
He adds that Russia believes that a political settlement is the only way to end the Syrian crisis.
Mr Putin said Russia and the US agree on the need to ensure work on a new constitution and create mechanisms of control over future elections.
On relations with Turkey
President Vladimir Putin said Turkey acted contrary to its own interests by downing a Russian warplane. Mr Putin said that he sees no possibility of overcoming the diplomatic strain under the current Turkish leadership.
He said that Russia had been willing to accommodate Turkey’s interests and said he was stunned to see that Ankara had not tried to explain its action and immediately turned to Nato for help instead.
Mr Putin said the deployment of Russian air defence missiles to Syria has put an end to violations of Syrian airspace by Turkish military aircraft.
On Ukraine relations
President Vladimir Putin said Russia wants a quick settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Mr Putin said that “we are interested in seeing the conflict settled as quickly as possible”.
He urged the Ukrainian government to swiftly approve legislation on holding local elections in Ukraine, but he says the Ukrainian authorities were dragging their feet on the issue.
Mr Putin said Russia wants the conflict settled and is ready to use its influence with the rebels in eastern Ukraine to reach a compromise.
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will discuss a possible exchange of prisoners with Ukraine.
Mr Putin said Russia has had no regular troops in eastern Ukraine. At the same time, he adds that there have been people “performing some military tasks”.
Asked if Moscow is ready to exchange the two men Ukraine says were Russian soldiers for Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko and other prisoners, Mr Putin said any exchange must be equal and details could be discussed with the Ukrainian authorities
Putin on domestic affairs and finance
Mr Putin said he sees no need for a significant shake-up of his Cabinet. He said the Cabinet is coping well with the economic crisis and he sees no need to revamp its membership. He said drastic personnel changes would do no good.
Russia’s economy is set to decline by 3.8 per cent this year, and the average income in Russia dropped this year for the first time in Putin’s rule.
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s economy is showing signs of stabilisation despite plummeting oil prices.
Mr Putin said that despite a GDP drop caused by a drop in global oil prices, Russia’s main commodity, the nation’s industries have started to rebound.
He said the nation’s currency reserves stand at US$364 billion and a capital outflow has slowed.
* Associated Press
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