Vladimir Putin’s annual news conference (full text)

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends and colleagues, We regularly meet at the end of the year. Only recently I made my Address [to the Federal Assembly]. Honestly speaking, I do not know what else to add to what I said then. I believe I covered all the key points. Nevertheless, there must be issues, which you want us to clarify. When I say ‘us’, I am referring to my colleagues in the Presidential Executive Office and the Government Cabinet and myself. Therefore, I suggest that we skip any lengthy monologues and get right down to your questions so as not