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Vladimir Putin Chides Turkey, Praises Kerry and Backs Russia’s Economy Vladimir Putin Chides Turkey, Praises Trump and Backs Russia’s Economy
(35 minutes later)
MOSCOW — A typically confident and, at times, combative President Vladimir V. Putin declared on Thursday at his traditional year-end news conference that the Russian economy, battered by the slump in oil prices, had reached a floor and would rebound in 2016 and in subsequent years. MOSCOW — Alternately pugnacious and conciliatory, with his accustomed swagger and salty language, President Vladimir V. Putin held forth on a broad array of topics in his traditional year-end news conference on Thursday, even throwing in a glowing assessment of Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Putin praised the efforts of Secretary of State John Kerry to find a political solution to the war in Syria and admitted that there were Russian personnel in Ukraine but no regular soldiers. “We never said there were not people there who carried out certain tasks, including in the military sphere,” he said. Mr. Putin drew applause from the crowd of journalists when he lashed out at Turkey for having shot down a Russian bomber, daring the Turks to try it again with Russia’s advanced air defense system in place and surmising that perhaps the Turks “wanted to lick the Americans in one place.”
Mr. Putin drew applause from the crowd of journalists in lashing out at Turkey for having shot down a Russian bomber, calling it “the act of an enemy” and surmising that perhaps the Turks “wanted to lick the Americans in one place.” Yet he praised the efforts of Secretary of State John Kerry to find a political solution to the war in Syria and admitted that there were Russian personnel in Ukraine, though no regular soldiers.
In the wide-ranging, more than three-hour event, Mr. Putin even offered hints about his closely guarded family life, saying his two grown daughters were living in Russia and “taking the first steps of their careers.” In the wide-ranging, more than three-hour event, Mr. Putin offered rare hints about his closely guarded family life, saying his two grown daughters were living in Russia and “taking the first steps of their careers.”
He also defended Sepp Blatter, the embattled president of soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, who is under criminal investigation for corruption, saying he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Not surprisingly, he threw in a few curve balls. He rose to the defense of Sepp Blatter, the embattled president of soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, who is under criminal investigation for corruption, saying Mr. Blatter should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Russian leader even inserted himself into the Republican primary contest in the United States, offering a glowing assessment of Donald J. Trump and calling him the “absolute leader in the presidential race.” Speaking after the news conference, Mr. Putin added that Mr. Trump is “a very lively man, talented without doubt.” And he even inserted himself into the Republican primary contest in the United States, speaking highly of Mr. Trump in remarks after the news conference ended. “There is no doubt that he is a very bright and talented man,” the Russian leader said. “It is not our business to assess his merits; that is up to the U.S. voters. But he is an absolute leader of the presidential race.”
But time and again, Mr. Putin returned to bread-and-butter matters of Russia’s slumping pensions and wages, an indication that Russia’s recessionary economy had his full attention. Beneath the pyrotechnics, Mr. Putin seemed most concerned with driving home the point to his domestic audience that Russia’s battered economy had bottomed out, an indication that Russia’s recessionary economy had his full attention.
Peppered with dozens of questions, Mr. Putin lingered on those that allowed him to reassure Russians that their living standards would improve.Peppered with dozens of questions, Mr. Putin lingered on those that allowed him to reassure Russians that their living standards would improve.
He went out of his way, in several answers, to say that Russia’s economy had hit bottom this year, and that it was now bouncing back — though independent economists and even Russia’s central bank, in a report released this month, have contested that view.He went out of his way, in several answers, to say that Russia’s economy had hit bottom this year, and that it was now bouncing back — though independent economists and even Russia’s central bank, in a report released this month, have contested that view.
The gross domestic product, a broad measure of the economy’s health, is projected to fall 3.7 percent this year but will grow by 0.7 percent next year, Mr. Putin said. It would pick up more in following years, he added.The gross domestic product, a broad measure of the economy’s health, is projected to fall 3.7 percent this year but will grow by 0.7 percent next year, Mr. Putin said. It would pick up more in following years, he added.
Real incomes, he conceded, are falling, but other indications of social well-being such as the birthrate are up, he said.Real incomes, he conceded, are falling, but other indications of social well-being such as the birthrate are up, he said.
Mr. Putin backpedaled on his prediction a year ago that Russia would pull out of its current slump within two years, and blamed the tumble in oil prices. “Yes, after this fall in prices in energy resources, all the indicators slipped,” he said.Mr. Putin backpedaled on his prediction a year ago that Russia would pull out of its current slump within two years, and blamed the tumble in oil prices. “Yes, after this fall in prices in energy resources, all the indicators slipped,” he said.
Mr. Putin’s popularity remains extraordinarily high, measured above 80 percent in some polls, despite the recession. While the economy is biting at home, even as Mr. Putin pursues a swaggering foreign policy, the hardship has not yet translated into widespread political discontent. Despite the recession, Mr. Putin’s popularity remains extraordinarily high, with supporabove 80 percent in some polls. While the economy is biting at home, even as Mr. Putin pursues a swaggering foreign policy, the hardship has not yet translated into widespread political discontent.
Surveys and the answers to questions posed to focus groups show that the pillars of Mr. Putin’s popularity shifted in early 2014, just before the current downturn. Russians now say they admire Mr. Putin more for a role as a “protector” from external threats than for the role of “provider,” a study by an influential Russian sociologist, Mikhail E. Dmitriyev, concluded this year.Surveys and the answers to questions posed to focus groups show that the pillars of Mr. Putin’s popularity shifted in early 2014, just before the current downturn. Russians now say they admire Mr. Putin more for a role as a “protector” from external threats than for the role of “provider,” a study by an influential Russian sociologist, Mikhail E. Dmitriyev, concluded this year.
Mr. Putin also offered positive signals for a round of talks on a Syrian peace plan scheduled to take place in New York on Friday, saying he could largely support the American plan described by Mr. Kerry in their meeting this week in Moscow.Mr. Putin also offered positive signals for a round of talks on a Syrian peace plan scheduled to take place in New York on Friday, saying he could largely support the American plan described by Mr. Kerry in their meeting this week in Moscow.
Russia under Mr. Putin has deployed its military in several countries, and at one point the president suffered a slip of the tongue in answering a question about Georgia, where Russia fought a war in 2008, and then recognized two separatist regions. Russia under Mr. Putin has deployed its military in several countries, and at one point on Thursday the president suffered a slip of the tongue in answering a question about Georgia, where Russia fought a war in 2008 and later recognized two separatist regions.
“Concerning the territorial integrity of Ukraine, ah, excuse me, of Georgia,” he said, going on to say the breakup of Georgia was the fault of that country’s former leaders, not Russia. “Concerning the territorial integrity of Ukraine, ah, excuse me, of Georgia … ” he said, going on to say the breakup of Georgia was the fault of that country’s former leaders, not of Russia.
In speaking of his daughters, he said they “have never lived in the limelight” but speak three European languages that they use “in their daily work.” He did not directly deny reports published this year that his older daughter runs a program at Moscow State University. Speaking of his daughters, he said they “have never lived in the limelight” but speak three European languages that they use “in their daily work.” He did not directly deny reports published this year that his older daughter runs a program at Moscow State University.