Putin answered questions from journalists following his trip to China. The main thing

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a press conference following a long visit to China. He named a condition for ending the conflict in Ukraine, allowed a meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky in Moscow and called for referendums on territorial issues. The Head of State also spoke about plans for the construction of the Power of Siberia–2 gas pipeline and answered questions about the fate of frozen Russian assets. What Putin said in China is in the Izvestia article.

About the trip to China

• Putin began the conversation with journalists by positively assessing his visit to China, which became his longest trip abroad since 2012. He noted that he had the opportunity to meet informally with many world leaders, which made it possible to effectively spend all four days in China.

• Separately, Putin highlighted the negotiations on the construction of the Power of Siberia–2 gas pipeline. According to him, discussions about a new gas supply route to China have been going on for several years, during which the pros and cons of a particular configuration of the pipeline were discussed. Due to the fact that China's energy needs have increased, the parties eventually managed to reach a mutually beneficial agreement based on market principles. Putin assured that there was "no charity" in the agreement on the Power of Siberia–2. The gas price will be calculated according to the market formula.

About Ukraine

• The most discussed topic of the press conference was the conflict in Ukraine. Discussing the issue of security guarantees, Putin said that Kiev has the right to them, just like any other country. But at the same time, he noted that the security of one country cannot be ensured at the expense of another, in this case, at the expense of Russia. In this regard, Putin recalled that Moscow opposes Ukraine's accession to NATO, but at the same time does not question its right to join the European Union. The head of state also ruled out any exchange of territories with Ukraine.

• Putin noted that he does not rule out the possibility of holding a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and that he was asked to do so by US President Donald Trump. At the same time, he asked a rhetorical question whether such a meeting would make sense. Putin suggested Moscow as a possible venue for the talks.

• Speaking about Russia's goals, Putin noted that the struggle in Ukraine is not for territories, but for the rights of the people who live there to speak their native language and live within the framework of their culture and ancestral traditions. Putin pointed out that the choice of people who decide to live in Russia must be respected, as this is the essence of democracy. He suggested that Ukraine hold referendums on territorial issues, but at the same time he himself recalled that such events in the country are now impossible due to the martial law imposed there.

The language of delusion: will the US convince Ukraine to agree to a deal

If this attempt fails and Washington withdraws from the settlement, the EU will have to dramatically increase spending on supporting Kiev.

• Putin noted that it is possible to agree on an acceptable way to end the conflict in Ukraine, but for this, "common sense must prevail." He pointed out that back in 2022, he proposed to the country's authorities to withdraw troops from the south-east of Ukraine and end the conflict immediately. However, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Kiev, according to him, led to urgent calls from Western European politicians to fight to the bitter end, which was accepted by the leadership of Ukraine.

• The Russian President stated that all groups of the Russian armed forces are advancing in all directions, albeit at different rates. He noted that thanks to the efforts of the American administration, he "sees the light at the end of the tunnel" regarding a peaceful settlement, but so far the situation is such that the tasks will continue to be carried out militarily. At the same time, Putin pointed out that the reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are at a critical point, because of this they are not able to conduct large-scale operations, but only hold the current borders.

About international politics

• Among other things, Putin responded to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who accused him of war crimes in an interview. The Russian leader called it an unsuccessful attempt to absolve the West of responsibility for the tragedy in Ukraine.

• Putin also touched upon the topic of Russian gold and foreign exchange reserves, which were frozen in the West. According to him, if a plan is implemented to transfer these assets to Ukraine as compensation, the overall financial and economic world order will be destroyed. Continuing the topic of economics, Putin recalled that Russia ranks fourth in the world in terms of purchasing power parity.

• Separately, Putin talked about what he talks about with world leaders when he rides with him in the same limo. He discussed a recent visit to Alaska with the Indian Prime Minister, and during that summit he only managed to exchange a few common phrases in English with Trump.