Vladimir Putin is not willing to let up in Ukraine. There will be no peace in this part of Europe until the Kyiv Government accepts an agreement that takes into account Russia's security concerns, the Russian president said this Thursday during an appearance in which he answered questions from the press and the Russian citizens. In any case, Moscow's troops will continue their activity in the neighboring country until they achieve their objectives, he assured.
The head of the Kremlin assured that Russia has to meet the objectives it set for itself when on February 24, 2022 it decided to intervene militarily in Ukraine and the most serious conflict began on the continent since the end of the Second World War.
Among the main tasks in the current situation, Putin cited "strengthening Russia's sovereignty, defense capabilities, security."
According to the Russian leader, "there will be peace when we achieve our goals. These have not changed," Putin assured. These objectives were set by the Russian leader when he initiated what is called here "special military operation": denazification, demilitarization and for Ukraine to maintain a neutral status.
The denazification of Ukraine remains relevant, he stated. "During the negotiation process" last year, Ukraine's representatives "did not accept that it needed some kind of denazification. But the national hero is the Nazi (Stepan) Bandera. The leader of Ukraine gave a standing ovation to a member of the SS." Putin said, referring to what happened last month in Canada's parliament. "Isn't that a manifestation of Nazism? The issue of denazification is urgent," Putin added.
Regarding demilitarization, the Russian president related it to the military support of the United States and the European Union to Ukraine.
"Ukraine produces almost nothing, everything is given as a gift. But that gift ends little by little," he said, referring to the current slowdown in the desire in the West to continue supporting Kyiv. "They will still give them, but it is being destroyed. They gave them about 420-430 tanks. We have destroyed them. That is demilitarization."
"If they (Ukrainians) do not want to reach an agreement, then we are obliged to take other measures, including military ones. Either we reach an agreement, we agree on certain parameters... or we resolve it by force," Putin said.
The Russian president also stressed that Russia maintains sufficient means and personnel to maintain its military commitment. In that sense, he denied rumors about a second mobilization to send new soldiers to fight in Ukraine.
"It's not needed," he summarized. And he recalled that after the partial mobilization of September 2022, when more than 300,000 reservists were recruited, Russia launched a campaign to attract volunteers. "It was planned to attract 412,000 and 486,000 signed up, and the flow of men ready to defend the Homeland with weapons in hand does not stop: 1,500 every day throughout the country. Together with the volunteers, we have just under half a million of people. Why do we need mobilizations? Today there is no such need," said the Russian president.
Putin's appearance came days after the Federation Council (Upper House of Parliament) set the date for the next presidential elections, which will be held on March 17, 2024.
One of the most anticipated announcements this Thursday was the official announcement that Putin was going to run for re-election and continue leading the country for a sixth term.
But that surprise was resolved last week, when the Russian leader already told a group of soldiers gathered in the Kremlin that he would run again to continue leading the country.
Putin's appearance on television is a decades-long tradition during his years as Russia's leader.
Normally in December a massive press conference is held in which, as on this occasion, Putin takes stock of the year. At another time of the year, usually in June, there was a television marathon called "Hotline" in which he answered questions from Russian citizens. For this year it was decided to unify both formats and create a new program called "Balance of the year with Vladimir Putin."
Russian citizens began to send questions and requests to the head of state on December 1 through various means, such as telephone, SMS, chatbot or the Russian social networks VKontakte and Odnoklássniki. In total, more than two million questions have arrived.
The first "Hotline to Putin" program was held in December 2001, almost two years after the Russian leader assumed the role of president (Boris Yeltsin handed over power to him on the last day of 1999). So, Putin spent two hours and 20 minutes answering 47 questions from Russian citizens.
Last year the Kremlin decided to break a tradition, due to the conflict with Ukraine. Therefore, the last appearance of this type occurred on June 30, 2021.
The combined format was already tested in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. That year the program lasted four hours and 29 minutes, during which Putin answered 68 questions, both from journalists and from the country's citizens.
Over the years these events, both the "Hotline" and the press conference, became marathon events. It is known when they start - at 12 noon Moscow time. But not when they end. The record was set in 2008, when the program lasted four hours and 40 minutes and Putin answered a hundred questions.
