Here are the key takeaways from Putin’s annual press conference

Investing.com — On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed readiness for a dialogue with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, while also discussing Russia’s economic and military status. Putin did not provide details about when he and Trump might meet.

In his annual press conference, Putin addressed the situation in Syria, stating that Russia had not been defeated there. He mentioned proposals made to the new rulers in Damascus concerning Russia’s military bases in the country.

The Russian President also revealed plans to meet with Syrian President Bashar al Assad, during which he intends to inquire about the fate of missing U.S. reporter Austin Tice.

Turning to the domestic economy, Putin acknowledged signs of overheating, which are leading to high inflation. While supporting the central bank’s tight monetary policy, he suggested that the bank could have acted more promptly.

The central bank is forecasted to increase its key interest rate by 200 basis points to 23% at its next meeting on Friday. This would be the highest level in over 20 years, and the bank’s strict monetary policy has drawn criticism from businesses. Putin stated that the government and the central bank are working to slow down the economy’s pace.

On the military front, Putin proposed a missile ‘duel’ with the United States to demonstrate the capabilities of Russia’s new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile against U.S. missile defense systems. He suggested that both nations select a target to be protected by U.S. missiles for this experiment. Putin stated that the Oreshnik, though based on previous Russian designs, is a modern weapon.

Putin also discussed the progress of Russian forces in Ukraine. He stated that the forces are advancing along the entire front line and are moving towards achieving their primary goals. He described the situation as “changing dramatically” and noted daily territorial gains.

However, he suggested that predicting future developments was challenging due to the complexity of the conflict. Military analysts from both the West and Russia have observed that Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine at its fastest pace since 2022, posing a threat to strategically important cities like Pokrovsk, a significant road and rail hub.

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