Key moments from Putin’s annual speech – from nuclear weapons to Ukraine ...Middle East

Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed changes to the country’s nuclear doctrine and suggested a missle “duel” with the US during his annual end-of-year news conference.

The event is taking place in a specially constructed TV studio near the Kremlin on Thursday. Footage shows a venue packed with video screens and journalists waving colourful placards in a bid to catch the president’s attention.

According to the state-run news agency TASS, more than two million questions have been submitted this year via phone calls, text messages, and social media platforms.

Last year, during the carefully choreographed press conference, addressed Russia’s heavily sanctioned economy, relations with the West and China, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

This year, journalists will be eager to hear Putin’s first public comments since the fall of his ally, former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, the assassination of involving Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, and his perspective on the incoming presidency of Donald Trump.

The event is a chance for Putin to assert his strength on the international stage and manufacture a favourable narrative ahead of the new year.

Here are the key topics he addressed:

Putin was asked a question about changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine after he changed conditions under which the country would consider using its nuclear arsenal last month.

It now states that an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint attack on Russia.

When asked if he thought Western nations had heeded the message he said:

“I don’t know, you should ask them.” He said the changes are in response to “emerging military threats… like the emergence of anti-missile systems”.

He also suggested a missile “duel” with the US that would show Russia’s new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile could defeat any US missile defence system.

“We’re ready for such an experiment,” Putin said, adding that the Oreshnik was a modern weapon but based on previous Russian designs.

The weapon was first fired at Dnipro in Ukraine on November 21 in a response to Ukraine’s first use of Western weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.

War in Ukraine

Putin said Russian forces were moving towards achieving goals in Ukriane and were taking control of territory every day.

“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically… There is movement along the entire front line. Every day,” he said.

“Our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day,” Putin said.

“The fighting is difficult, so it is difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead… (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation.”

Inflation at 9 per cent in economic challenges

Putin addressed questions about the state of the country’s economy, where high inflation and sanctions are starting to bite.

“Everything stands and falls with the economy,” Putin told the audience, emphasising its central role in producing internal stability inside Russia.

Despite the inflation rate climbing to 9.3 per cent, Putin described the economic outlook as positive, claiming that wages and real disposable incomes have risen. He projected economic growth for next year to be approximately 3.9 per cent.

However, Putin acknowledged challenges ahead, particularly concerning monetary policy. Russia’s central bank, which raised interest rates to 21 per cent in October, may need to implement further hikes to curb inflation.

He later denied the crippling impact of Western sanctions, claiming they are “not a key factor” in relation to the country’s high interest rates and inflation.

This story is being updated.

With agencies

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