Putin begins annual televised news conference
Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual news conference on Friday, which featured questions from journalists and members of the public across the country. (Credit: Reuters)
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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow would refrain from launching new attacks on other nations provided that his country is treated “with respect.”
The Kremlin made the remarks during his annual televised press conference in Moscow, as concerns persist among European nations that Russia poses a security threat, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
“Will there be new special military operations? There will be no operations if you treat us with respect, if you observe our interests, just as we have constantly tried to observe yours,” Putin said.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual news conference and call-in show at Gostinny Dvor, in Moscow, on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
Putin uses the phrase “special military operation” to describe Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, according to AFP.
He added that there would be no further Russian invasions “if you don’t cheat us like you cheated us with NATO’s eastward expansion,” according to the BBC.
The Russian leader also claimed he was “ready and willing” to end the war in Ukraine “peacefully,” though he offered few details suggesting a willingness to compromise, the BBC reported.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a journalist’s question during his annual news conference and call-in show at Gostinny Dvor, in Moscow, on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
The yearly press conference, which typically runs at least four hours, features questions from journalists and members of the public across Russia.
More than 2.5 million questions were submitted to this year’s event, which focused heavily on the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Putin also noted during the event that the nation’s “troops are advancing” and expressed confidence that Russia will accomplish its objectives through military means if Ukraine does not assent to Russia’s terms during peace talks, according to The Associated Press.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, thanks a group of volunteers who worked preparing his call-in show at Gostinny Dvor, in Moscow, on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
“Our troops are advancing all across the line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in some others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors,” Putin declared.
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As the war drags on, the European Union has just agreed to provide Ukraine with a more than $105 billion loan.
Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
