REVIEW - Putin's Annual Press Conference Covers All Pressing Issues On Domestic, Foreign Agenda

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th December, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held his annual press conference in Moscow to answer questions from Russian and foreign journalists, with topics ranging from bilateral relationships with countries around the globe to the legacy left to Russia by the Soviet Union.

It began at noon and lasted for more than four hours. Putin answered a total of 77 questions from 57 journalists.

The opening question was about climate change. A journalist asked Putin about his opinion on its implications for Russia and about the country's specific commitments under the Paris Agreement.

"No one really knows the causes of global climate change," Putin replied, going on to say that "it is very difficult, if at all possible, to know the extent of the human impact on global climate change. But we cannot be inactive either. I agree with my colleagues on this. We must make every effort to ensure that the climate does not change dramatically."

Russia joined the Paris Agreement in late September and committed itself to a 25-30 percent decrease in carbon emissions from 1990 levels. The international accord as a whole aims to keep the increase of average global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and ideally seek an even lower target of 1.5 degrees.

Issues pertaining to Russia's relations with its neighbors featured in many questions.

With regard to Belarus, Putin said he and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed to intensify contacts on enhancing integration processes within the Union State of Russia and Belarus, since such processes were comparatively weaker in other blocs, such as the Eurasian Economic Union.

"As for the matters of gas and oil, we are selling it to Belarus without tariffs ... Secondly, regarding our sales of energy resources, including gas to Europe and Belarus ... Belarus has the lowest possible price for our foreign partners. Let me remind you that it stands at $128 per 1,000 cubic meters. We sell [gas] to Europe for $200 ... If we subsidize the entire Belarusian economy, it means that we, Russia, are fully subsidizing gas for the whole country. You should admit that this is very strange - Russia subsidizing another country," Putin added.

China was another country discussed in this context. According to Putin, Russia and China have an unprecedented level of mutual trust that is more important than "any figures."

He added that Moscow and Beijing were achieving success in economic cooperation due to said mutual trust, with trade surpassing $100 billion. Putin said he hoped this figure would soon reach as much as $200 billion.

The Russian president went on to say that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing was the most important factor when it came to international stability, but also that no plans for a military alliance were in the works.

"Regarding alliances, we do not have a military alliance with China, and we do not plan to create it. And the fact that in East Asia they are trying to create this alliance, other countries [are trying] ... US, Japan, South Korea. We see it. We consider it counterproductive ... But our cooperation with China is developing, including in the field of defense technology," Putin said.

He added that the early-warning system for missile attacks that Russia was helping China to build was purely defensive.

Ukraine and the conflict in the breakaway eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, in particular, were also big topics at the press conference.

Putin reiterated that Russia had no fighters in Donbas and said there was no alternative to resolving the conflict outside the Minsk agreements.

"The next [Normandy format] meeting in April will be relevant if there are some positive developments. Do we have any or not? Yes, there are some, objectively speaking. First, the law on the special status [of Donbas] was prolonged. The basis for settlement [the law] did not disappear, it was not lost. Second, the troop disengagement was somehow conducted in several key areas. However, our Ukrainian partners do not want complete disengagement along the entire contact line. I think they are wrong, but that is their position," Putin said.

He also revealed being alarmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's suggestion that the Minsk accord could be amended, warning that any revision could bring about a complete impasse in the peace process.

The topic of gas was also touched upon, with Putin confirming that the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine would be preserved despite new pipelines, and that Kiev could still agree to purchase the fuel directly from Moscow at a 25 percent discount.

"By the way, the Ukrainian route to Europe is longer than the route via the Baltic Sea. It is longer and it is simply more expensive for us. But still, to central and southern Europe, this is also a well-established and good route, and we are ready to keep it. And we would be ready to supply gas to Ukraine at a discount, by the way � 20-25 percent," he added.

He also commented on the Stockholm arbitration court's ruling on the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, saying that despite it being "politically motivated," Moscow and Kiev would look for a mutually acceptable solution.

"We want to resolve this issue. As a law school graduate, I am sure that this ruling of the Stockholm arbitration is not legally but politically motivated," Putin said.

The oppression of Sputnik news agency's journalists in Estonia at the state level was something Putin called "amazing cynicism" and vowed to support the agency so far as it did not damage bilateral relations.

Within the scope of overseas ties, Putin was asked about the situation in Libya, which in the grips of an armed conflict. On that subject, he said Moscow maintained contacts with both the prime minister of Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord, Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj, and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who leads the rival Libyan National Army from the eastern-based government.

Putin said he believed the best solution would be for both sides to lay down their weapons and figure out the country's future governance structure.

The Russian president also confirmed that Moscow and Berlin were in contact with regard the murder of a Georgian national of Chechen decent who was killed in Germany earlier this year.

"This matter was discussed [between Russia and Germany] at the level of intelligence services," Putin said.

He said an official extradition request had not been filed by Moscow through the Prosecutor General's office because Russian intelligence services thought doing so might be pointless given the negative responses they had received at the inter-agency level. Putin went on to call the Georgian man a "bloody killer" who had committed several terrorist attacks, including one in the Caucasus that killed 98 people and another in the Moscow metro.

Regarding relations with the United States, Putin said that Moscow's stance was to maintain a dialogue regardless of "who is in the White House and who controls the Congress." He added he was skeptical that the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump would actually be seen through.

Putin specifically touched upon the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which was signed in 2010 and is due to expire in February 2021. It is currently the only remaining arms control treaty in force between Russia and the US.

"I have already said ... we are ready to extend the current New START by the end of the year. If they [the United States] send us [the agreement] by mail tomorrow, we will sign and send it to Washington. Let the [US] leadership sign it if they're ready. So far there is no answer to any of our proposals and if there is no New START, there will be nothing at all in the world that is holding the arms race back and this, in my opinion, is bad," Putin said.

The president said that another negative factor in Russia's relationship with the United States was the latter's continued sanctions policy against Moscow.� Speaking about sanctions in general, however, Putin said that any unilateral politically motivated economic restrictions hurt the entire global economy and international trade, so countries would be better off abandoning them altogether.

The decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to curtail Russia's participation in international sporting events for four years and ban Russian athletes from competing under the Russian flag was also mentioned, with Putin calling the situation "unfair" and "illegal."

"Concerning WADA, I think that not only is it unfair, but it also does not make sense and is illegal," Putin said.

The ban is particularly unfair to athletes who were not involved in the doping scandal whatsoever, including those who competed in the Winter 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang under a neutral flag, Putin added.

On the domestic front, there were many questions related to the legal realm.

When asked about Russia potentially acquiring a new constitution, Putin said that there was no such need and that the existing one could be amended in a way that ensured concurrence with the contemporary societal outlook, specifically in terms of limiting presidential service to two terms. He added that any such changes would require comprehensive preparations and rigorous public debate.

Journalists then asked Putin about the controversial law on domestic violence, about which Putin revealed to have "mixed feelings."

"You cannot force someone to love. In the old days, they [victims] turned to [communist] party committees and demanded from these organizations that they restore order in the family, and tame one of the spouses ... I am against any form of violence, including in the family, and of course, against children and women. It is a trait of a very low general level of culture," Putin said.

In late November, amid heated public discussions, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament introduced a bill that would forbid a person accused of domestic violence from contacting their victims either in person, or via phone or the internet. The abuser may also be forced to leave the home they are sharing with the victim and forbid from trying to find out the victim's whereabouts.

Regarding the law on the sustainability of the Russian segment of the Internet in the event the country gets disconnected from the global network � Putin signed this in May � the president said that it in no way meant that Russia was going to shut down the Internet.

"The concepts of 'free' and 'sovereign' Internet are not mutually exclusive, because that law pursues only one goal � to prevent negative consequences from possible disconnection from the global network, the control of which is largely based abroad. That's what we are talking about; this is sovereignty. We have our own resources that can be included so that our access to the Internet is not cut off. The meaning of this law is just this, and, therefore, there are no restrictions," Putin said.

Pensions in Russia would not be subjected to any more changes, Putin said in response to a question on whether any changes were in the pipeline on this matter, as last year's pension reform � which raised the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for men and from 55 to 60 years for women � had already triggered a strong public reaction.

"When it comes to pension reform, all decisions have been made, laws adopted, and no changes are planned in that regard. No new pension reform is being prepared or even discussed in the government, nor in the administration," Putin said.

Asked about the case around journalist Ivan Golunov's controversial detention earlier this year, specifically the lack of progress that has been made in investigating the false claims made by police that landed the reporter in jail, Putin said that "purges" within law enforcement agencies should be avoided but also that improvements should be made to their operation.

"As for the cleansing [of police forces], we went through it. It was not as distant in the past as it might seem, and it is better for us not to carry out any cleansing [in this case]. The fact that it is necessary to improve the work of law enforcement agencies, to institute control, first and foremost from the public, over what is happening there [law enforcement agencies], is completely obvious," Putin said.

When asked about what had changed in the country over the past two decades of his presidency, Putin specifically highlighted economic improvements.

"We have achieved internal stability, [we have] the confidence that the country will continue to develop in a stable way in the future. This is probably the most important thing. The economy has changed dramatically," Putin said, while also admitting that there were still some unresolved problems with the economy.

He has also commented on modern competitive political landscape in Russia, saying that there are 50 active political parties, including 12 at the Federal level.

Putin further recalled that the most dramatic moments of his presidency were the 2002 Nord Ost hostage crisis and the 2004 attack on a school in Beslan, both of which claimed hundreds of lives, including many children.

The press conference then veered into questions related to the Soviet Union's legacy. Despite criticism of the nation-building policies of the Bolsheviks in the early years of the Soviet Union, Putin said it was early to discuss removing the body of Vladimir Lenin from its mausoleum on Moscow's Red Square. He argued that there were still many people for whom the first Soviet leader was still a symbol of past achievements. He also condemned the EU Parliament for comparing the Soviet period to totalitarianism.

"Totalitarianism [is a topic about which] there is nothing good. It undoubtedly deserves condemnation. I know about this European Parliament decision, but I think it is absolutely unacceptable and incorrect, because one could anathematize Stalinism and totalitarianism as a whole, and in some ways, it would be a deserved reproach. Of course, our people were the first victims of totalitarianism and we condemned it as well as condemned the cult of personality. But to equate the Soviet Union or to put the Soviet Union and fascist Germany on the same page is another level of cynicism," Putin said.

The historic memory of the outcome of World War II, in particular, should not fall victim of current interstate affairs, and the decision of certain leaders of post-Soviet states to not attend the Victory Day parade on May 9 in Moscow is disappointing in this regard, Putin said.

"This is their right, but if someone does not come because of some of today's specifics of our interstate relations, I think that it will be a big mistake for them. Because it will mean that they are not showing due respect to the people who fought and gave their lives for the independence of their own homeland," Putin said.