The President
of Russia delivered the Address to the Federal Assembly.
The ceremony took place at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall.
January
15, 2020
13:15
Moscow
Before the Presidential
Address to the Federal Assembly.
About 1,300 people have been
invited to attend the ceremony, including members
of the Federation Council, State Duma deputies, members
of the Government, the heads of the Constitutional
and Supreme courts, regional governors, speakers of regional
legislatures, the heads of traditional religious denominations,
public activists, the heads of regional civic chambers
and the heads of major media outlets.
* * *
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: Members of the Federation Council, State Duma
deputies, fellow Russians,
The Presidential
Address to the Federal Assembly is delivered at the very
beginning of the year for the first time. We need
to address large-scale social, economic and technological tasks facing
the country more quickly and without delay.
Their content
and guidelines are reflected in the national projects, whose
implementation will require a new quality of state governance
and work on the part of the Government and state
bodies at all levels, as well as direct dialogue with citizens.
Our society is clearly
calling for change. People want development, and they strive
to move forward in their careers and knowledge,
in achieving prosperity, and they are ready to assume
responsibility for specific work. Quite often, they have better knowledge
of what, how and when should be changed where they live
and work, that is, in cities, districts, villages and all across
the nation.
The pace of change
must be expedited every year and produce tangible results in attaining
worthy living standards that would be clearly perceived
by the people. And, I repeat, they must be actively involved
in this process.
Colleagues,
Russia’s future
and historical perspective depend on how many of us there are
(I would like to start the main part of my Address
with demography), how many children are born in Russian families
in one, five or ten years, on these children’s upbringing,
on what kind of people they become and what they will do
for the country, as well as on the values they
choose as their mainstay in life.
An informal CIS summit
took place in St Petersburg.
December
20, 2019
17:00
St
Petersburg
CIS informal summit.
The summit was attended
by Vladimir Putin, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime
Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander
Lukashenko, first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President
of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Moldova Igor Dodon,
President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President
of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Vladimir Putin told
the participants about the archive materials
on the pre-history of World War II and invited them
to tour a specially organised exhibit.
* * *
Speech
at the informal CIS summit
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, I am very happy to see you.
I would like to welcome you once again, in this “very extended”
format of CIS heads of state.
We have resolved
on events dedicated to the end of the Great Patriotic
War between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany
and the Victory of the Soviet Union.
Let me stress that
for all of us, and I know you agree, it is a special
date because our fathers and grandfathers sacrificed a lot
to our Fatherland, our common Fatherland back then. In fact, every
family in the former Soviet Union in one way or another suffered
from what happened with our country and the world.
We have discussed this many
times both formally and informally and decided to work together
on the eve of the 75th anniversary.
I would like to share some of my thoughts on this.
Vladimir Putin is the most
impressive leader on the world stage. He survived and arose from a
Russia corrupted by Washington and Israel during the Yeltsin years and
reestablished Russia as a world power. He dealt successfully with
American/Israeli aggression against South Ossetia and against Ukraine,
incorporating at Crimea’s request the Russian province back into Mother Russia. He
has tolerated endless insults and provocations from Washington and its empire
without responding in kind. He is conciliatory and a peacemaker from
a position of strength.
He knows that the American
empire based as it is on arrogance and lies is failing economically, socially,
politically, and militarily. He understands that war serves no
Russian interest.
Washington’s murder of Qasem
Soleimani, a great Iranian leader, indeed, one of the rare leaders in world
history, has dimmed Trump’s leadership and placed the limelight on Putin. The
stage is set for Putin and Russia to assume the leadership of the world.
Washington’s murder of
Soleimani is a criminal act that could start World War 3 just as the Serbian
murder of the Austrian Archduke set World War 1 in motion. Only
Putin and Russia with China’s help can stop this war that Washington has set in
motion.
Putin understood that the
Washington/Israeli intended destabilization of Syria was aimed at Russia. Without
warning Russia intervened, defeated the Washington financed and armed proxy
forces, and restored stability to Syria.
Defeated, Washington and
Israel have decided to bypass Syria and take the attack on Russia directly to
Iran. The destabilization of Iran serves both Washington and Israel. For
Israel Iran’s demise stops support for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that has
twice defeated Israel’s army and prevented Israel’s occupation of southern
Lebanon. For Washington Iran’s demise allows CIA-supported jihadists
to bring instability into the Russian Federation.
Unless Putin submits to
American and Israeli will, he has no choice but to block any Washington/Israeli
attack on Iran.
The easiest and cleanest way
for Putin to do this is to announce that Iran is under Russia’s protection. This
protection should be formalized in a mutual defense treaty between Russia,
China, and Iran, with perhaps India and Turkey as members. This is hard for
Putin to do, because incompetent historians have convinced Putin that alliances
are the cause of war. But an alliance such as this would prevent
war. Not even the insane criminal Netanyahu and the crazed American
neoconservatives would, even when completely drunk or deluded, declare war on
Iran, Russia, China, and if included in the alliance India and
Turkey. It would mean the death of America, Israel and any European
country sufficiently stupid to participate.
If Putin is unable to free
himself from the influence of incompetent historians, who in effect are serving
Washington, not Russian, interests, he has other options. He can
calm down Iran by giving Iran the best Russian air defense systems with Russian
crews to train the Iranians and whose presence serve as a warning to Washington
and Israel that an attack on Russian forces is an attack on Russia.
This done, Putin can
then, not offer, but insist on mediating. This is Putin’s role as
there is no other with the power, influence and objectivity to mediate.
Putin’s job is not so much
to rescue Iran as to get Trump out of a losing war that would destroy Trump.
Putin could set his own price. For example, Putin’s price can be the
revival of the INF/START treaty, the anti-ballistic missile treaty, the removal
of NATO from Russian borders. In effect, Putin is positioned to
demand whatever he wants.
Iranian missiles can sink
any American vessels anywhere near Iran. Chinese missiles can sink
any American fleets anywhere near China. Russian missiles can sink
American fleets anywhere in the world. The ability of Washington to
project power in the Middle East now that everyone, Shia and Sunni and
Washington’s former proxies such as ISIS, hates Americans with a passion is
zero. The State Department has had to order Americans out of the
Middle East. How does Washingon count as a force in the Middle East when
no American is safe there?
Of course Washington is
stupid in its arrogance, and Putin, China, and Iran must take this into
consideration. A stupid government is capable of bringing ruin not
only on itself but on others.
So there are risks for
Putin. But there are also risks for Putin failing to take charge. If
Washington and Israel attack Iran, which Israel will try to provoke by some
false flag event as sinking an American warship and blaming Iran, Russia will
be at war anyway. Better for the initiative to be in Putin’s hands. And
better for the world and life on Earth for Russia to be in charge.
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia, Friends,
The year 2020 is just
around the corner. We are on the threshold
of the third decade of the 21st century. We
are living in turbulent, dynamic and contradictory times, but we can
and must do everything for Russia to develop successfully, so
that everything in our lives changes only for the better.
In excited anticipation, we are awaiting the chiming
of the clock, and we believe and hope that all our wishes
will come true.
Our personal plans
and dreams are inseparable from Russia. Our present and future,
and the future of our children depend on the efforts
and the contribution of each one of us. Only together will
we be able to resolve the tasks facing our society and country
today. Our unity is the foundation for achieving the loftiest
goals.
These values were passed
on to us by our ancestors, the heroic and unbending
generation of victors. Next year, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary
of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. With all my heart,
I would like to extend my New Year greetings to battle
front veterans and home front workers, people of the older
generation who have gone through many trials for the sake of us
all and the future of our Motherland. I bow down
to you.
Friends, we always prepare
for the New Year in advance and, despite being busy, we believe
that the warmth of human relations and companionship are
the most important thing. We strive to do something important
and useful for other people and to help those who require
our support, to make them happy by giving them presents and our
attention.
Such sincere impulses, pure
thoughts and selfless generosity are the true magic
of the New Year holiday. It brings out the best in people
and transforms the world filling it with joy and smiles.
Uplifting New Year’s
feelings and wonderful impressions have been living in us since
childhood and come back every New Year, when we hug our loved ones, our
parents, prepare surprises for our children and grandchildren,
decorate the New Year tree with them and unpack once again paper
cut-outs, baubles and glass garlands. These, sometimes ancient, but
beloved family trinkets give their warmth to the younger generations.
Of course, each family
has its own New Year traditions, but everyone is united by an atmosphere
of kindness and care. May the happiness of mutual
understanding be in your home forever, helping to overcome all
difficulties and bringing different generations ever closer. May your
parents be blessed with good health and always be the focus
of your attention, and may each child know that he or she is
the best loved ever.
Friends, New Year is
knocking at our door. Let us wish each other and our Motherland peace
and prosperity.
The news conference was
broadcast live by Rossiya-1, Rossiya-24, Channel One, NTV television
channels, as well as radio stations Mayak, Vesti FM and Radio
Rossii.
December
19, 2019
16:20
Moscow
2 of 50
Vladimir Putin’s annual news
conference.
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon,
We are holding our
traditional end-of-year meeting to summarise the year’s results,
to see what we have achieved and what we could not achieve
and why.
I will refrain from
lengthy opening remarks. As I see, there are many people who would
like to ask their questions, and during today’s discussion, today’s
meeting, I will try to use these questions to talk more about
what is happening in our country and how.
Thank you for your keen
interest in such meetings. Let us begin.
Please.
Presidential Press Secretary
Dmitry Peskov: Thank you, Mr President.
Traditionally we give
priority to the ‘veterans’ of the Kremlin pool
of journalists, who have covered the President’s work for many
years. I will continue this tradition.
Valery Sanfirov, Mayak.
Please, pass the microphone.
Valery Sanfirov: Hello,
Mr President. Valery Sanfirov, Mayak radio station.
Initially, I had
a different question, but I changed my mind when I heard
today’s weather forecast: there will be no snow until the end
of December. And I wondered where you would tape your New Year
address to the nation.
My question is not
about the New Year tree but about climate change. Everyone is talking
about it, but it looks as if nobody knows what to do about it. What
are the risks? How can climate change damage Russia?
One more thing: Russia has
joined the Paris Agreement this year, if I am not mistaken
(the Government has adopted a resolution to this effect). Under
the agreement, Russia must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25–30
percent by 2030.
However, you said
at the recent VTB Russia Calling! forum that we would reduce
the emissions by as much as 60 percent by that
deadline. I wonder if you have made your first mistake or if you have
something special in mind.
Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: You
have trapped me, you really have.
Indeed, Russia has joined
the Paris Agreement. In fact, we announced our intention to do
this much earlier, but this year we have formalised our decision
by adopting a Government resolution. It does mention the reduction
of 25–30 percent compared to the base year 1990. This is what
all countries, including EU member states, do, they compare their reductions
to 1990 or use it as the base year.
But if… How can I get
out of your trap? If we take [the base figure] as 100 percent
and subtract 30 percent from it, the remaining figure will be 70
percent, and bearing in mind the absorption capacity of our
forests, the ultimate figure will be 60 percent of the base
figure. Let us assume that this is what I had in mind. This is my first
argument.
Following a Normandy
format summit, Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel and Vladimir
Zelensky gave a joint news conference.
December 10, 2019
02:20
Paris
* * *
Press statement
and answers to media questions following a Normandy format summit
Starts at 2:14:34 President of Russia
Vladimir Putin:
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
In principle, I agree with what the participants of these talks have said today.
We adopted a final joint document, which has reaffirmed the absence of any alternative to the strict observance of the Minsk Agreements signed on February 12, 2015 and highlighted the importance of launching a direct dialogue between the conflicting parties.
The participants in the talks welcomed the disengagement of forces and weapons in three pilot areas, as my colleagues have said. As we see it, this is indeed a major step towards a continued de-escalation in the southeast of Ukraine and a comprehensive ceasefire. We hope that the disengagement process will continue and that mine-clearing and de-fortification processes will be launched in the disengagement areas.
We also need to coordinate the reconciliation process in Ukraine with the political reforms that are stipulated in the Minsk Agreements.
First of all, the Ukrainian Constitution must be amended to formalise the special status of Donbass on a permanent basis. Of course, the duration of the agreement on the special status of separate Donbass districts must be extended and ultimately made permanent, as it is stipulated in the Minsk Agreements I have mentioned before. Certain amendments should be made to the agreement, primarily those related to the implementation of the Steinmeier Formula. There should be no delay in the implementation of the other commitments either, primarily regarding amnesty and a statutory ban on the persecution of persons in connection with the events that took place in the southeast of Ukraine.
The parties to the talks have supported the idea of coordinating the exchange of detainees based on the “all for all” principle.
It is important to increase the number of checkpoints on the contact line and to create the best possible conditions so that the hundreds and thousands of local residents, who have to wait in line for hours now, can cross of the border quickly. We tend to discuss large projects and major humanitarian issues, but we must not forget about the people who live there, and all our agreements must be aimed at improving their lives not in a distant future, but now.
Ultimately, I believe, as we all agree, that this meeting was useful. I would like to express gratitude to President Macron for his initiative and to thank him and Chancellor Merkel for paying so much attention to this matter, which is not one of their direct duties, but they believe that it is important for all of us, for both Ukraine and Russia, as well as for our European neighbours. We greatly appreciate it that they are paying so much attention to this and doing so much to attain a final settlement. For its part, Russia will do everything in its power to contribute to these efforts.
Thank you.
<…>
Question (retranslated): Good afternoon, Messrs Presidents, Madame Federal Chancellor,
Can we say this evening that a real thaw has started in Europe? Or is there still a risk that the conflict will continue? Will we have yet another frozen conflict in Europe?
Mr Putin, do you think we are witnessing a détente or thaw? Do you think that we can move forward towards real peace?
I would like to take advantage of Mr Putin’s presence here in Paris to ask one more question. WADA has decided today to ban Russian athletes from the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing. This is certainly a significant decision. Will you appeal it? Do you think, just as Prime Minister Medvedev, that there is a serious problem with doping in Russia? Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: Speaking about a thaw, yes, I do believe that it has started. What else can I say? First, there has been an exchange of detained persons. It has taken place. We have brought about disengagement in three areas. It has taken place. We have met in the Normandy format and discussed a broad range of very important issues, and we have achieved progress on many of them. It has taken place. Taken together, all of this is reason to believe that the process is moving in the right direction.
As for Russia’s position, I said in my opening remarks that Russia will do everything in its power so that all problems are solved and all questions settled, and the conflict ultimately ends. However, I would like to point out that it is very important, as I have said before, that the conflicting parties talk to each other, that they engage in a direct dialogue. This is what matters. No conflict was ever settled without a direct dialogue between the conflicting parties.
Regarding doping, the WADA decision and Russia’s potential appeal against it.
First of all, we need to analyse this decision. Here is the obvious part, which I can see immediately. For example, there are no complaints to the National Olympic Committee. If there are no complaints, the country must be able to take part in competitions under the national flag, according to the Olympic Charter. This means that this part of the WADA decision contradicts the Olympic Charter. Therefore, we have good reason to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
There are also some other arguments, but first our experts and lawyers should analyse everything so that we can talk with our partners competently. However, I believe that the main thing, and everyone seems to accept it, is that punishment must be individual and based on the acts committed by an individual, as it has been since the Roman Empire. Punishment must not be collective, that is, applied to the persons who have no connection with a given crime. Everyone is aware of this. I believe that the WADA experts are aware of this as well. But if they take decisions on collective punishment, I think this is a reason to believe that these decisions do not seek to keep sports clean but are based on political considerations, which has nothing to do with the interests of sport and the Olympic Movement.
Question (retranslated): Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Madame Chancellor, you held a bilateral meeting with President Putin before the summit today. I would like to enquire whether you discussed during that meeting the assassination in Tiergarten, Berlin, because it had exerted a very strong influence on relations between Russia and Germany. One had the impression that Russia was willing to cooperate with the investigation into this assassination.
Mr Putin, you said two German diplomats would be expelled, and you announced retaliatory measures. When will these measures be introduced? How grave is the crisis in relations between Germany and Russia?
Vladimir Putin: You said that a Georgian national was killed. This is not quite true. I know that a man died in Berlin. And he is not just a Georgian, he is a man who took an active part in combat operations on the side of the separatists in the Caucasus. He is not an ethnic Georgian.
This man was on Russia’s wanted list, and he is a very cruel and blood-smeared man. He killed 98 people during just one operation he was involved in. He was one of the organisers of explosions in the Moscow Metro.
I do not know what has happened to him; this is a criminal milieu, where absolutely anything can happen. But I believe that it is incorrect to expel diplomats who have nothing to do with this matter, solely on the basis of preliminary conjectures.
You asked about retaliation. There are unwritten practical rules, unwritten laws for such cases: you have expelled our diplomats, we will expel yours. That is all. Is this any kind of crisis in relations? There is no silver lining to it, but I do not think that there is a crisis or that one should arise. But I agree with Madame Chancellor that we must investigate this matter. We will do our best to find out the truth and to help our German colleagues.
Incidentally, it would have been good if we had cooperated before these tragic circumstances occurred. The Russian side repeatedly urged our German colleagues to extradite this criminal and murderer. Regrettably, we failed to reach an understanding.
Question (retranslated): I have a question for President Zelensky.
It concerns the next Normandy format meeting, which is scheduled to take place in four months. Are there any preliminary conditions, so that we can see if there is any progress? Are we correct in understanding that although progress has been made regarding the exchange of “all for all”, no agreements of principle have been reached on the local elections in Donbass, which should take place in the autumn of 2020, and no final solution has been coordinated regarding the control of the Ukrainian border? Why is that?
And here is my second question: Will the problem of gas transit after January 1 be settled?
I also have a question for the President of Russia. Why are you so strongly against Ukraine’s desire to control the border with Donbass during the elections? Is this really a stumbling block? Can the settlement of this problem help to launch the peace process in eastern Ukraine? Will you continue to offer explanations for the protection of Russian speakers now that Ukraine has a Russian-speaking president, who is also supported by people in the southeastern regions?
Vladimir Putin: Do you remember a popular children’s poem: “We have gas in our flat. And do you?” And you do have it too, and will have it. But it may cost you much less if we agree to work honestly together. It could cost 25 percent less than the end consumers, primarily industrial facilities, are paying now. Because the price of gas for household consumers is subsidised, and we cannot calculate [export] gas prices based on this subsidised price. This is ordinary economic logic. This is how it is.
As for the border, Mr Zelensky and I have different positions on this issue. Our position is very simple: we stand for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. The Minsk Agreements say – you can read it for yourself – that Ukraine will be able to start restoring control over that territory, over that section of the border on day one after the local elections. This is what it says. And this process should end after the completion of a comprehensive political settlement. This is what the text of the agreement says. Why should the Minsk Agreements be reopened and revised? All the measures set out in that package are interconnected. If we revise one of them, this will lead to the revision of others and we will lose the agreements and create a situation where nothing can be done. This is our logic, and I believe that it is justified.
Regarding Russian speakers. We do want Russian speakers, and not only in Donbass but throughout Ukraine, to have equal democratic rights. I would like to point out that 38 percent of Ukrainian citizens regard themselves as Russian speakers. However, all of the so-called Russian schools will convert to the Ukrainian language starting next year. By the way, as far as I know, the other [national minority] schools – Hungarian, Romanian and Polish – are to start the process in 2023. As if there are more Hungarian speakers than Russian speakers in Ukraine. You must admit that this raises questions to which we have no answers.
But I hope that we will keep our focus on this issue, just as all the other pending problems. This is why we will meet in four months.
Question: RIA Novosti.
A question for President Putin. You spoke about the Minsk Agreements being inviolable and having no alternative. But Chancellor Merkel said just now that the Minsk Agreements are flexible. So have you ultimately reaffirmed the agreements’ inviolability and their non-alternative nature?
Vladimir Putin: You see, any agreement has some degree of flexibility, because some things written on paper can be interpreted by the parties in different ways. And we did have a discussion today on some aspects of the Minsk Agreements. There are things spelled out directly, and it is quite difficult to argue with those. But there are other things, which emerged as compromises during our discussions in Minsk in 2015. And different parties interpret them differently. In this sense, I agree with Madame Federal Chancellor – she is right.
Well, this is what we meet for – to arrive at a common understanding, a single standard in what they call legal engineering. But I also agree that there is no alternative to the Minsk Agreements, and we must make every effort to ensure that they are fully implemented.
