Main Takeaways From Putin's Annual Address To Parliament

 Main Takeaways From Putin's Annual Address to Parliament

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an annual address to the national parliament on Wednesday, covering a wide range of issues from economic woes to foreign and defense policies

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an annual address to the national parliament on Wednesday, covering a wide range of issues from economic woes to foreign and defense policies.

The 90-minute state-of-the-nation speech at the Federal Assembly was Putin's 15th appearance of this kind. The tradition was adopted by his predecessor, late Boris Yeltsin.

Putin promised that Russians were going to see improvements in their lives this year as the country had accumulated "colossal" resources, which were not borrowed but "earned by millions of our citizens."

He said this money would be allocated so as to generate more funds and improve the quality of life. He linked economic hardships to a decline in the population, which is to be reversed by 2023-2024.

Putin promised tax breaks, mortgage payment holidays and other benefits to families with multiple children and suggested that the Central Bank should aim for a mortgage rate of 8 percent or lower.

An estimated 19 million people are living below the poverty line, Putin said. This is half of the figure registered in 2000 but it needs to be lowered. Russia had a population of nearly 147 million in 2018.

The best way to overcome poverty, he stressed, is to increase the rate of economic growth, ensuring an increase in citizens' income. The federal statistics agency said Tuesday the real disposable income dropped 1.3 percent year-on-year in January.

Putin said time was running short for determining long-term targets for the country's strategic development. Work should begin right now, he stressed.

On business, Putin admitted that firms should not live in constant fear of legal action against them. They need to be brought back into the Russian jurisdiction by getting rid of everything that hampers entrepreneurial initiatives, and improving business climate.

Putin announced that sovereignty remained the cornerstone of Russia's foreign policy. He said some nations were better off depending on others, while Russia was not.

He warned the European Union it should stop setting conditions for Russia and take steps toward rebuilding bilateral political and economic ties for the sake of its citizens and businesses.

He pointed to Russia's Union State with neighboring Belarus as an example of mutually beneficial cooperation. The two have been working together as a supranational entity for over two decades.

The president also promised to step up talks with Japan on a belated peace treaty and work harder to unlock the potential of Russia's privileged strategic partnership with India.

On the relationship with the United States, Putin said its approach to Russia was far from friendly. He accused Washington of coming up with new, "illegal" sanctions and ignoring Moscow's legitimate interests.

The main point of contention, he added, remains Washington's unilateral exit from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

Putin slammed Washington for not saying honestly it no longer wanted to be part of the arms control treaty when other countries were advancing their missile technology well past the Cold War era limits.

Instead, Putin argued, the United States violated the INF by pulling missile launchers to Poland and Romania, and mobilized its "satellite states" to make trumped-up accusations against Russia.

Putin emphasized that Russia's security policy was purely defensive in its nature. Russia is not a threat to the United States and does not seek confrontation, but is ready to take retaliatory measures.

He stressed Russia would never be the first to deploy short- and medium-range missiles to Europe but would do so if the United States brought these weapons to the continent.

He said a part of the US ruling class had been "carried away by the idea of exceptionality." He urged Washington to give up its illusion of global military superiority and count the speed and the range of Russia's cutting-edge weapons before taking any decisions.

Reckless decisions, Putin warned, would only lead to retaliation on the part of Russia, whose security would be reliably and unconditionally ensured.

More than that, Russia would feel entitled to directing its weapons not only at the territory that posed an immediate threat but also at those hosting centers that made decisions in this regard.

In conclusion, Putin praised Russia's new weaponry, including the hypersonic missiles Avangard and Kinzhal, the new heavy intercontinental ballistic missile Sarmat, the laser system Peresvet, and the first submarine equipped with a nuclear-powered underwater drone called Poseidon, which will be floated out this spring.