Putin’s annual press conference: “We want to consolidate our security”

When it comes to Ukraine, Putin insists on his own security interests, and demands evidence of poisoning from the Kremlin critic Navalny: At the annual press conference, the Russian president asked selected reporters’ questions.

Entrance through a disinfection spray system and three PCR tests per journalist present: With such strict security measures against the background of the corona pandemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual press conference. The questions that had to be submitted in advance cover numerous topics, such as domestic and foreign policy, the corona pandemic, the country’s economic situation or the conflict over the Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian border.

In this very conflict, Putin demanded swift security guarantees from the US and NATO. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has repeatedly deceived Russia with its eastward expansion. However, Russia wants to avoid a conflict and is therefore demanding appropriate commitments from the Western military alliance, such as refraining from further expansion to the east. “Another NATO expansion to the east is unacceptable. What is wrong with that?” Asked the Kremlin chief. “We want to consolidate our security.”

“Positive” willingness to act on the part of the USA

Negotiations on the required security guarantees should begin in Geneva at the beginning of next year. The Russian proposals on this had largely met with a positive response from the USA. “I hope that the situation will develop in this direction,” said Putin.

However, he himself refused to make any binding commitments: when asked whether he could guarantee that Russia would not invade Ukraine, Putin replied that his country would act as his security interests demanded. But it creates the impression that another military action is being prepared in eastern Ukraine. Moscow could not possibly fail to react if Russia’s security was affected.

Russia supports pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and is said to have gathered around 100,000 soldiers in the border region. Ukraine as well as the USA, NATO and the EU fear a military escalation and have repeatedly warned Russia against an invasion.

No responsibility for high gas prices

On the subject of European energy supplies, the President rejected Russia’s responsibility for higher gas prices. Europe has brought on the gas problems itself and should now solve them itself, Putin said. The Russian energy company Gazprom fulfilled its delivery obligations from long-term gas contracts before it offered gas on the spot market. Countries like Germany that had long-term supply contracts now benefit from lower prices than on the spot market and can sell gas to neighboring countries at a profit.

More resilient economy in the pandemic

With a view to the corona pandemic, Putin described the omicron variant as a serious risk. However, in previous waves, the Russian economy had already proven to be more resilient and resilient than many other world economies. “We have recovered much better than many other countries.”

When asked about the mortality in the country related to the coronavirus, Putin denied all allegations of tampering with statistics. “It’s hard to count – not because someone wants to cover something up. Not at all.” He always advocates that everything in the health care system is always as open and understandable as possible – “also so that people understand how important vaccinations are”.

Action against “foreign agents” defended

When asked about the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who had been imprisoned for almost a year, Putin asked for evidence of a possible crime against him. The West has not yet presented any evidence of the “alleged poisoning” with the chemical warfare agent Novichok. “Nothing. Zero.” According to official information, several laboratories, including one from the Bundeswehr, had proven the poisoning. With regard to the “detainee”, Putin said: “One should not commit crimes and hide them behind political actions.”

The Kremlin chief also defended the controversial crackdown on dissenters and so-called “foreign agents”. For many, invincible Russia is too big. “You can only decompose it from the inside out.” That must be prevented. Many non-governmental organizations and the media are classified as “foreign agents” in Russia, which they criticize as stigmatization. Putin stressed that Russia wants clarity as to who is receiving money from abroad and who is working in the interests of another country.