Putin Addresses Ukraine War, Economy in Annual Year-End News Conference

President Putin Holds Annual 'Results of the Year' Event

Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual year-end news conference and call-in show on Friday, December 19, 2025, in Moscow. The marathon event, which typically runs for several hours, served as a platform for Putin to address a wide array of questions from journalists and the public, focusing significantly on the conflict in Ukraine and the nation's economic performance. This year marked the third time the event was held in a hybrid format, combining a traditional press conference with the 'Direct Line' call-in show, broadcast live across Russia's 11 time zones.

Updates on the Ukraine Conflict

During the conference, President Putin asserted that Russian forces have 'fully seized strategic initiative' in Ukraine and are advancing along the entire line of contact, with the enemy 'retreating in all sectors'. He expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its military goals and make further gains by the year's end.

Regarding a peaceful settlement, Putin reiterated that Russia's terms, first outlined in June 2024, remain unchanged. These conditions include Ukraine renouncing its bid to join NATO and recognizing Russia's territorial gains. He stated, 'There will be peace when we achieve our goals. Let's return to these goals: they have not changed. I'll remind you of what we talked about then: the denazification of Ukraine, its demilitarization, its neutral status.' While acknowledging 'certain signals' from Kyiv regarding a willingness to engage in dialogue, he expressed skepticism about Ukraine's readiness for a comprehensive peace deal.

Putin also issued a warning, stating that Moscow could launch more strikes on Ukraine using the new Oreshnik missile, and that these could target military facilities in countries that permit Ukraine to use their missiles for attacks deep into Russia.

Economic Performance and Challenges

On the economic front, President Putin presented an optimistic outlook. He reported that Russia's GDP growth was expected to reach approximately 3.9%, possibly even 4%, for the current year, building on a 3.6% growth in the previous year. He highlighted that unemployment had reached an 'all-time low of 2.3 percent'.

Despite these positive figures, Putin acknowledged persistent challenges with inflation. He noted that consumer inflation was high, citing figures of 9.3% in 2024 and an expected 7.5% to 8% for 2023. For 2025, he indicated that a 1% GDP growth was a 'deliberate move' aimed at inflation targeting, with the goal of reducing inflation to below 6%, potentially reaching 5.7-5.8%. He assured that the Central Bank and government were taking necessary measures to stabilize the situation. Real wage growth was reported at 4.5%.

The President also criticized international attempts to seize Russian assets, describing such actions as 'open robbery' or 'daylight robbery', and warned of severe consequences for those involved.

Public Engagement and International Relations

The event saw significant public participation, with Russian state media reporting that over 2 million questions were submitted by ordinary citizens ahead of the show. Questions often covered domestic issues such as road repairs, utility prices, and social services.

In broader international remarks, Putin suggested that Europe was 'out of step' with the new priorities of the United States, implying that Washington no longer views Moscow as an adversary.