Referring to the progress of negotiations over the war in Ukraine and the situation on the frontlines, Putin began his annual press conference, aiming to present a review of the past year.

In the opening minutes of the press conference the Russian president stated that Moscow does not believe Ukraine is ready for peace negotiations. Russia, on the other hand, is “ready and willing” to end the war in Ukraine based on the principles it presented at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2024.

At the same time, Putin expressed satisfaction with the territorial gains recently made by the Russian military in Ukraine, assuring that “it is advancing on all fronts.”

“Our forces are advancing along the entire front line (…) the enemy is retreating in all directions,” he said. According to him, the “strategic initiative” shifted to Russia when Russian forces pushed Ukrainian troops out of the Russian region of Kursk.

Putin said he was confident that there would be even more military successes by the end of the year, after previously stating that Russia intends to “move westward” following the latest advances in Ukraine.

Europeans who seek to use Russian assets are “thieves”

Putin accused the European Union of attempting to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine, likening European leaders pursuing such actions to “thieves” and describing it as “open theft, not something done in secret.”

The Russian president warned that using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine “would have serious consequences,” noting that yesterday’s meeting of the 27 EU member states did not reach an agreement on the matter.

He also argued that seizing Russian assets in Europe would undermine confidence in the eurozone, stating, “Once this process begins, there is no turning back,” and claimed that Russia’s public finances are in better shape than those of France in terms of national debt.

Putin added that Moscow will defend itself in courts with jurisdictions not influenced by political decisions and insisted that Europe, sooner or later, will be forced to return what was “taken” from Russian assets.

The message behind the TV set

The design of Putin’s press conference set sends a clear message to Ukraine. Behind the Russian president is a map of Russia, which, if observed carefully on the left side, depicts not only Crimea but also the four eastern Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia in 2022 — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

It should be noted that Russian forces have not fully occupied these territories, yet the president consistently refers to them as Russian. The display of these areas on today’s set is interpreted as a Kremlin message that it does not intend to relinquish its territorial claims.

Over 2 million questions submitted

Putin, in power for 25 years, has held this end-of-year press conference since 2001, lasting several hours and broadcast live on television.

During the conference, the president addresses various issues, from geopolitics to the economy, and even his personal plans for the future. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, his statements regarding the war’s progress are particularly anticipated.

On Wednesday, Putin reiterated that Russia’s objectives in Ukraine “will undoubtedly be achieved,” whether through diplomacy or military means. He also adopted a very harsh tone toward European leaders, claiming they aim to provoke Russia’s “collapse.”

The annual press conference also serves as an opportunity for Putin to hear complaints from citizens across Russia, the world’s largest country, about issues such as hospital conditions or the lack of schools.

According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Putin prepared for the conference on Wednesday “late into the night,” reviewing citizen questions, and continued his preparation throughout Thursday.

Peskov explained that over two million questions were submitted to the president and sorted with the help of artificial intelligence. Social issues “occupy a prominent place,” he noted in an interview with Izvestia.

In the past, the press conference was divided into two parts: first, Putin would take questions from journalists, including Western media, and then from citizens. Since 2023, the two parts have been merged.