"Results of the year with Vladimir Putin" lasted 4.5 hours

"The results of the year with Vladimir Putin" lasted 4.5 hours. The event took place on Thursday, December 19, in Gostiny Dvor in Moscow.

During the combined direct line and press conference, both journalists, including foreign ones, and ordinary Russian citizens could ask questions to the head of state. The President answered both domestic and foreign policy questions.

The questions concerned the situation in Kursk region, payments to servicemen, the head of state spoke in detail about the Oreshnik missile system. In addition, Putin predicted GDP growth up to 4% in 2024 and called sovereignty an important pillar of any country. In addition, the president highlighted the topic of the key rate. He expressed hope that the decision of the Central Bank at the upcoming meeting will be balanced.

The head of state also answered questions on Ukraine. In particular, he once again emphasized that Moscow is ready to negotiate with Kiev without preconditions, but on the basis of the Istanbul agreements and realities on the ground.

During the live line, the President was also asked about the situation with YouTube and Google. The head of state said that the slowdown of the service was mostly due to issues on the side of the platform itself, and not with the Russian authorities. He added that services are obliged to comply with the law.

The head of state also touched upon the situation with the oil product spill that occurred on December 15 in the Kerch Strait after the accident with the tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239. Putin noted that this is an environmental disaster, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies are assessing the actions of the ships' captains.

The Russian leader also answered the question of the American journalist NBC News about his colleague Austin Tice, who disappeared 12 years ago in Syria. Putin emphasized that he would talk to Bashar al-Assad on this topic. The head of state noted that there were active hostilities in the country and questioned whether Assad himself was aware of the fate of the US citizen.

Assessing the overall situation in Syria, Putin said that the main beneficiary of the events in the country is Israel. The Russian president expressed hope that Israel would someday withdraw from the territory of the state, but now it is bringing additional troops there.

Putin also touched on the topic of medicine. He noted that one of the most important tasks of local authorities is to distribute the workload of medical workers so that there is no shortage of personnel in the primary care. Speaking about Russia's achievements in this sphere, he emphasized that the Russian Federation produces sophisticated drugs to fight cancer.

"Russia has become much stronger."

Big press conference and direct line with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Key quotes

The direct line with Vladimir Putin in 2024 was combined with a press conference for the media. The format called "Results of the year with Vladimir Putin" allows the president to convey his position not only on citizens' issues, but also on the state and world agenda, which is often asked by journalists.

By the president's own admission, this event is the most powerful sociological poll that allows citizens to convey their position and assessment of the country's leadership.