Putin discussed key issues at the press conference

On December 19, a traditional press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin was held in Moscow. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

During this meeting, the head of state expressed his views on questions concerning society, the situation at the front, and international politics. The event lasted nearly 4.5 hours.

Below are the main points of this press conference. **Situation at the front and strategic initiative:** According to Putin, after military operations in the Kursk region, the Russian army has fully taken the initiative.

He emphasized that the capture of the city of Seversk opened strategic opportunities in the Slavyansk direction. Additionally, full control over the Krasny Liman and Kupyansk areas is expected to be established.

Speaking about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's video near Kupyansk, Putin sarcastically said to him, "If the city is yours, go inside, why are you standing outside?" Regarding peace negotiations, Russia expressed readiness for dialogue but accused Kyiv and Western countries of initiating conflicts.

**Economic stability:** According to the president, the Russian economy continues to grow despite external pressures. The country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased by 9.7 percent over the past three years.

Inflation is expected to be 5.7-5.8 percent by the end of the year, which is below the government's set limit. Putin called the West's freezing of Russian funds "looting," emphasizing that such actions reduce trust in the international financial system.

**Demography and national values:** The president noted increasing the birth rate as a priority task. He stressed the need to raise this indicator in Russia from 1.4 percent to 2 percent.

He also positively assessed the tradition of early marriage among the peoples of the Caucasus, stating that this experience should be taken as an example. Touching on spirituality, he called services related to magic and sorcery "devilish acts" and considered it necessary to combat them.

**International relations and NATO:** According to Putin, NATO's preparation for military actions openly demonstrates the position of the US and Western countries against Russia. He stated Russia's readiness to cooperate with the West but emphasized that this should only be done on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

There are various assumptions about how the views expressed at this press conference might affect the situation in Ukraine. By 2026, changes in the military and political situation in the region are not unlikely.