Putin's Marathon Presser: "Results of the year with Vladimir Putin" Part Two

Part Two will be about the same length as Part One.

Dmitry Peskov: Mr President, if we can continue here. Let's go to the third row, in my opinion- a young man stretches out his hand. Please introduce yourself.

Vladimir Seroukhov: Vladimir Seroukhov, RBC.

If I may, two questions about the currency.

Recently, Javier Miley became the new president of Argentina, and one of his main election promises is to introduce the US dollar in the country instead of the peso. But Russia, on the contrary, has been heading for de-dollarization for the past few years: it refuses both the dollar and the euro in international settlements.

How do you assess this process? How profitable is the mutual settlement of Russia and its economic partners in rubles and national currencies of friendly countries? And if you have touched upon the subject of the ruble, in your opinion, what factors most affect the ruble exchange rate, its decline, and growth? What does it most depend on today?

Vladimir Putin: Let's start with Argentina, so that we don't have to go back to that later. Yes, everyone knows the idea of the President-elect of Argentina to switch to the dollar inside the country. This is a sovereign decision of each country.

But, first of all, I think the inflation rate in Argentina is somewhere around 143 percent, so there are a lot of problems – I was told by previous managers – related to the repayment of those borrowed funds that Argentina received from various sources. So the logic is clear.

But this, of course, is a significant loss of the country's sovereignty. If the current leadership of Argentina does not see any other way out of the country's well-known financial and economic problems, this is their solution. But this is certainly a significant loss of sovereignty.

Then there is the socio-economic component of such a decision. You're from RBC, right? You have a specialized channel, so you have all the specialists there, they will understand me, and the citizens will understand, probably, there is nothing complicated here. After all, even a tight peg to the dollar of the national currency is already fraught with serious socio-economic consequences.

Argentina was shaken up at the time due to financial problems, including raids on banks. See here what happens if there is only a dollar or a hard peg to the dollar? After all, in the course of solving its internal problems of an economic nature, any government always thinks about how to provide social guarantees for citizens, fulfill its social obligations.

I am pleased to note that the Government of the Russian Federation is able, despite certain increases in spending on the defense industry, and in the security sector, to fully fulfill all its obligations to citizens in full. We can say that this is not enough, we would like more, somewhere – now they said from the Komi Republic-to send more money for resettlement, and so on. But what the state promises publicly, everything is fulfilled and will be fulfilled.

As for pegging it to the dollar, there are certain obligations: pensions, salaries in the public sector, social benefits, and so on and so forth. As a rule, there is not enough money. What will the link to the dollar lead to?

If there is a national currency – the peso, then there is a tool for slightly increasing inflation. Yes, it is not very good, but it is still a tool for balancing the situation between a healthy economy and fulfilling social obligations.

And if there is no national currency, you can't print anything. There is only one way – reducing budget spending on the social sphere, severely cutting the level of wages, pensions, benefits, spending on medicine, roads, this, that, and internal security. There is no other way. And in this case, any government puts itself in very difficult conditions from the point of view of internal political stability. If such a choice is made by our partners – it is their right, the country itself determines what needs to be done and how.

Now as for us. You say: we refuse. We do not refuse – we just started having problems with payments in foreign currencies. By the way, they're shooting themselves in the foot again. Well, why do they reduce the possibilities of the dollar and the euro as universal currencies, as reserve world currencies? First of all, the dollar, of course.

In 2021, God forbid, 87 percent of foreign currency was used in servicing our exports – a combined dollar and euro. In my opinion, the ruble was about 11-13 percent, the yuan-about 0.4 percent. As of September this year, the picture is as follows: the ruble – 40 percent, the yuan-33 percent, the combined use of the dollar and euro – 24 percent. It was 87, it was 24. Why did they do it? I repeat, they shot themselves in the foot.

Is it bad for us or not? Well no. In general, the more we use the national currency in economic calculations, in financial calculations, the better. This increases our sovereignty and our capabilities.

What does the course depend on? Our exchange rate is floating, depending on market conditions, on the prices of our export goods, on the growing demand within the country – and it is growing. There is another aspect, by the way, the Decree, which was designed to regulate this situation with the currency, partly affects the exchange rate, of course, it still played a role.

What is the reason for this? This is due to the fact that in previous years there was no need for any restrictions, because we received enough information from those countries where a significant volume of our exports goes, and we understood the movement of capital. Now we don't get any information from there – they closed it for us. The government and the Central Bank do not see what is happening with the amount of funds that our exporters receive from exports. The Central Bank and the Government have a legitimate desire to see how rubles accumulate, how they move, where, in what volumes. In this sense, the Decree introduces elements of a certain control. I assume that everything is normalizing, that this is temporary.

Overall, the situation on the financial market is stable. The most important thing is to ensure this stability and predictability. In my opinion, today we are achieving this goal.

Dmitry Peskov: Let's ask one more question from the audience.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, please. "Kuban" is written.

Mikhail Zhmutsky: Good afternoon, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

Vladimir Putin: Hello!

M. Zhmutsky: Maxim Zhmutsky, Krasnodar TV Channel, Krasnodar Region.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, this year the resorts of Kuban have broken another historic record – 17.5 million tourists visited our region. This is only the summer period, now the winter period is actively underway. And of course, this is a huge burden on the infrastructure, primarily transport-taking into account the closed airports.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, are there any plans at the federal level to develop transport accessibility in the south of the country? Maybe expressways or railroad tracks?

And I can't help but ask: just yesterday there was information that on December 15, tomorrow, a test flight from Moscow to the Krasnodar airport will take place, and if, God forbid, everything goes well, our Krasnodar airport will be opened. How true is this?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: As for the opening of airports, the main criterion here is to ensure the safety of passengers. Ensuring passenger safety is an absolute criterion when deciding whether to open airports. This also applies to Krasnodar Airport. Although it is far from the combat zone, the Ministry of Defense has such an assignment-to constantly analyze and ultimately make a decision. If they approach it now, they will report to me – and then we will act. We need to look at it and analyze it again.

And as for the development of communication routes in general: both aviation means of transportation, and railway, automobile – all this is developing. You also mentioned the high-speed road. Yes, we are planning it. The first stage is Moscow-St. Petersburg, but then development to the south is possible, and not even that it is possible, we think about it. But today we need to do the main thing – we need to create an effective, efficient structure that would do this and make a good business plan and development model.

It's all possible. Both the Government and the initiators of this process think about this and propose solutions. This includes Sberbank, the Moscow Mayor's Office, and the Government, I repeat, are involved in this work.

Of course, if there are two hours and 15 minutes between Moscow and St. Petersburg – you know, it takes longer for people to get to work inside Moscow – it will be a completely different story, a completely different development. The same applies to the south of the country: Krasnodar, Kuban in general, Stavropol Territory, Rostov region and the same Crimea. Therefore, work in this regard is beginning. I hope that it will continue to develop effectively.

Now, as for the development of transport and passenger flows: they are increasing. The absolute record holder is the transportation of passengers by air: more than 16 percent – 16.4, in my opinion, for the year. In second place – railway transport: plus 10-something – 10.4 percent. And road transport, buses: plus about seven – 6.4–6.5. In other words, the volume of passenger traffic increases significantly.

Of course, all participants in this process should think about the next tourist season and should do everything that depends on them in order to ensure the interests of people. Domestic tourism is developing rapidly. I would like to thank everyone who works in this field, including those who work in Kuban, for improving the quality of their work. I hope that this will continue.

Dmitry Peskov: Let's have one more question. Would you be so kind as to give me a [microphone] here, first row, please? Here sits Life. The very bottom, the first row.

Alexander Yunashev: Mr President, hello! Alexander Yunashev, Life.

We all understand that these are special times, there are so many military correspondents in the hall, one might say, and the demand from all sides is special, triple. But there are articles of the Criminal Code that were written in the 90s. According to them, someone is given 12 years for murder, and someone for extortion on the Internet, the Prosecutor's Office requests 14 years. Like, for example, the seriously ill journalist Alexandra Bayazitova, who was accused of a paid negative block against the banker Ushakov, attention, from the bank that serves the state defense order. But it wasn't with a soldering iron that she extorted money from him in the garage.

Vladimir Putin: So how do you justify her actions?

Alexander Yunashev: I'm not justifying anyone, I'm just citing facts. To what extent are her actions comparable with such huge requests from the Prosecutor's Office? Isn't it time, perhaps, to rewrite some articles of the Criminal Code? Maybe change the threshold of a particularly large size? Where is the line between punishing real pests and starting a witch hunt?

Vladimir Putin: Don't overdo it, what a witch hunt. I don't know the exact details of the situation, but what is it – a witch hunt, what did she do to be hunted? Is she some major opposition figure or something? What has she done to be hunted? I'm sure no one's hunting her.

All lawyers know: dura lex, sed lex – the law is harsh, but [it is] the law.

You understand when you say such things now, and I also hear, see, when for some economic crime [give] 14 years, 15 years… Frankly speaking, I was a little taken aback when I heard about it, I know about it, in general, somehow too obvious. But even in many countries, economic crimes, tax crimes, antitrust crimes, anti-cartel crimes are added up, and people get exorbitant sentences of a hundred years each.

But why is this happening? Because the society and the legislator proceed from the fact that at a certain stage of the development of society and the economy, the public danger of such acts is so great that it requires an appropriate, adequate, as the legislator believes, reaction to stop this illegal activity.

This particular case (or others of this kind), I will honestly tell you, as a citizen, also raises questions about whether it is necessary to hide a person behind bars for 14 years. Or now I am being told about a former minister – he is almost 19-plus [years old] for certain violations. What he did, or what this woman did, is bad. Do you need 19 and a half or 14 years there? The legislator should think about it. It is true that we should think about this. As long as the law exists, it must be obeyed.

Do you remember our wonderful film, which we all love, "Belorussky Vokzal"? There, Papanov plays the accountant of a large Soviet enterprise, and he is always in a confrontation with a young director – he asks him to break some instructions there. And the hero of Papanov answers him: here you are so young, energetic, maybe you are right. But if you're right, you're so energetic, go ahead and get this instruction revoked. And as long as it works, I will abide by it.

There's something in that, too. This is the stability of the legal system and, therefore, the understanding in society of what is worth what and how society evaluates what has been done. But this does not mean that you need to rest on it and not change anything. I agree with you and will ask the legislators and the State Duma to re-evaluate all this and respond accordingly. I agree with you on the whole.

Yelena Berezovskaya: Mr President, we have been working live for almost two hours. I suggest, in the tradition of the "Direct Line", to defuse the situation a little.

Vladimir Putin: Please.

Elena Berezovskaya: Our citizens send us various questions that do not fit into such familiar topics. For example, Yaroslav from St. Petersburg: "Now our country and you personally are being vilified and insulted in the world. Do you think that in the future a resident of some German town will say: "Damn, but Putin did everything right." Or, for example, another afterthought: "How do you survive stress when the whole "rotten world" is against you?"

Pavel Zarubin: And there is another question: "Do you play chess? If so, who did you play with last time and who won? "And:" During the long holidays, such as New Year's, what do you recommend Russians to do?" Lots of questions, yes.

Vladimir Putin: So it's a German city… And then what?

P. Zarubin: How do you deal with stress when the whole "rotten world" is against you?

Vladimir Putin: Stress. Next?

E. Berezovskaya: How do you keep yourself motivated to do all the things you do?

Pavel Zarubin: Do you play chess? If so, who was last played with?

Vladimir Putin: Chess.

Pavel Zarubin: And during the long New Year holidays, what do you recommend Russians to do?

Vladimir Putin: Holidays.

Why only in a German city? I am not only confident, I know that not only in German cities, but also in many other cities in Europe and in the United States, not to mention other regions of the world, a lot of people believe that we are doing everything right. We are not afraid to fight for our national interests without encroaching on others. And this is supported by so many people. First.

Second. We have a huge number of supporters in the world to protect our traditional values, a huge number. And their number increases many times, growing exponentially.

Stress and so on, or what helps us survive the fact that we are under attack – a sense of duty, I can say without any pathos. Over the years, I have taught myself to strive to choose the most important things and do everything to achieve the goals set, without paying attention to any husks. Of course, this field of vision should be broad, but it is necessary to understand and analyze everything. But you need to go confidently to your goal, if you are sure of what you are doing, and I am sure.

About chess. You know, I recently asked a young man, "Shall we play chess?" And he said, " Come on." I say, "Do you think I'll win?" And he looks up at me and says, " I don't think so." What does this mean? About constantly working on yourself. I'll try to do it.

New Year. You know, in the New Year, it seems to me that you need to pay more attention to your loved ones and family, work out together, find a common cause: exhibitions, theaters, sports are mandatory, and lead an active lifestyle. It is advisable to spend it together with your loved ones, with your family.

Pavel Zarubin: There is already a rapid response to the questions that are raised during our program. Crimeans who study at the school of governors have already called the phone center, and they are ready to go and repair a gym in Crimea.

I think people expect the same rapid reaction to such a question. The topic of price growth is not new, but this year there are definitely new manifestations – just massive complaints about the rise in price of a particular product. The wording from people is: "It's very sad to buy eggs in our country," says Andrey Samoilov from the Tomsk region. Anastasia Plastinina from Ivanovo asks :" Are these eggs laid by golden hens?"

And another video question from the Krasnodar Territory. We are watching.

(Video demonstration.)

Irina Akopova: Good afternoon, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, my beloved President!

I, Irina A. Akopova, want to appeal to you so that you can influence me. We have a dozen eggs-from 180 rubles to 220 rubles. Where and when were these prices? Chicken breast was 165 rubles per kilogram, today – 350. The wings were 165, today-250.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, take pity on pensioners, we don't get millions of pensions. Put things in order, there is no one to turn to. How bad it is that you are once a year... this is our website. You need to do it three times a year so that people can contact you.

I am very grateful to you and hope for your help.

Vladimir Putin: Dear Irina Alexandrovna,

You said "once a year", but believe me, I recently spoke with the Minister of Agriculture, asking how he was doing with eggs. They say they're fine. What I said to him, I honestly say, this is a direct speech, I say :" But our citizens have problems, the increase in chicken eggs is 40 percent, and in some places even more, and for chicken meat."

You know what happened. As I said, we are experiencing a small but still significant increase in income, wages, and so on. Demand has increased. It was a relatively cheap protein and popular with citizens. I myself eat scrambled eggs with pleasure and at one time I could even make ten in the morning at once. But what happened? Demand increased, but production volumes did not. First.

Second. We didn't open the import in the proper volume on time. Now, by the way, additional supplies are being offered from Turkey, and our economic ties and relations are developing very well, including in the field of agriculture. From other countries, from Belarus offer. But they didn't open it in time. It was necessary to resolve issues within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community in a timely manner.

In my opinion, decisions were made in a few days, or at least they should be made in December, and the situation will undoubtedly improve. I really hope so. Because at least two weeks ago, these conversations with the Ministry of Agriculture took place.

Therefore, I regret and apologize in this regard. This is a Government failure. I think that it is also connected-although they say that this is not so, but I think so - [with the fact that] they did not open the import wider in time, because, apparently, they expected that they would earn more money. They promise that the situation will be corrected in the near future.

Yelena Berezovskaya: Mr President, our citizens are also concerned about housing and utilities prices. With such bitter irony, they state that the light at the end of the tunnel has risen in price. But in reality, of course, there is no laughing matter here. Many people see a certain injustice that pensions, for example, are indexed by 7.5 percent, and housing and utilities tariffs are higher.

I suggest you watch the video message.

Vladimir Leontiev: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

In 2024, we, pensioners, will have our pension increased by 7.5 percent. At the same time, starting from June 2024, we plan to increase housing and utilities tariffs in Novosibirsk from 9 to 14 percent, that is, those 7.5 percent of the pension supplement will practically eat up. Please pay attention to this.

I offer you an appendix to the draft resolution of the Governor.

With respect.

Vladimir Putin: In my opinion, our counterpart did not introduce himself?

E. Berezovskaya: Vladimir Arkadyevich Leontiev.

Vladimir Putin: Vladimir Arkadyevich, I agree, and I'll see what's going on in Novosibirsk, as I can see on the screen. We will definitely look at it and analyze it.

Indeed, pensions are supposed to be indexed at 7.5 percent, and I hope that this will not be lower than inflation. But what would you like to draw your attention to? Look, we have indexed pensions by more than 10 percent in previous years, most recently, in December 2022, I think. Then in the spring it will increase by more than four percent in terms of inflation, and from the beginning of this year there will be another indexation – 7.5 percent. And tariffs have not been raised since July last year, and it is planned to increase tariffs only in July 2024. In other words, the tariffs have not been raised for a year and a half. During this time, there will be three indexations of pensions, which in general will be more than 23 percent, right? Yes, something like that.

Of course, we need to do everything in a timely manner, and tariffs should increase in a timely and gentle manner, and citizens ' incomes should grow at a faster pace.

There is one more thing to pay attention to. There is a rule in accordance with the law, according to which if the family's expenses for housing and communal services exceed 22 percent, then the family is entitled to receive a subsidy. Hundreds of thousands of people took advantage of this opportunity last year, in 2022. And this is actually the same thing. In some regions, this threshold is even lower, not 22 percent, and if a family spends 15, I don't know, 20 percent, then a subsidy is already applied.

But, I repeat once again, let's see what exactly, what is the ratio of these parameters in the Novosibirsk region. We will definitely do it, I promise.

P. Zarubin: But is it correct that for a primitive service-payment for housing and communal services-you still need to pay a commission to the bank? There are many such questions.

Vladimir Putin: This is wrong, especially if it concerns pensioners. The decision has just been made: the commission will not be paid by pensioners.

Pavel Zarubin: It's news, big news.

Dmitry Peskov: We almost forgot about the gym. Come on, BAM.

I. Voroshilova: Amur region, city of Blagoveshchensk, "gate" to China. Irina Voroshilova, "Amurskaya Pravda".

Vladimir Vladimirovich, this is our question. Next year, we will have 50 years since the beginning of the construction of the century-the so-called Baikal-Amur Mainline. And now, you know, what an injustice. Today, the BAM is divided between the Far Eastern and East Siberian highways and roads. Don't you think it's time to put BAM back on the map of Russia? Moreover, today we have such construction projects continuing along the BAM: BAM-2 and BAM-3 are excellent projects that are very important for our country in the current situation.

Vladimir Putin: Please explain what "return to the map of Russia" means. What does it mean?

I. Voroshilova: There is no BAM. There used to be a Baikal-Amur mainline, it was, this is a section. It was then divided and removed in the 90s. Today, the BAM is generally divided: part of the BAM route belongs to the East Siberian Road, part-to the Far Eastern one. As such, there is no land plot. And now the Bam Commonwealth – there is an organization that includes hundreds of thousands of people from the former Soviet Union-proposes to create the Baikal-Amur Railway from Taishet to Sovgavan as part of Russian Railways. BAM veterans believe that this will speed up the implementation of the BAM-2 and BAM-3 projects and launch the construction of new railways in the east of the country.

Vladimir Putin: You know, to be honest, I've never paid any attention to it.This is the first time I've heard that such a problem exists, that it is divided between different sections of road. After all, all this anyway belongs to JSC "Russian Railways". But Oleg Valentinovich [Belozerov], the head of Russian Railways, never told me that there is such a problem. But I will still talk to him, and I will talk to Minister Saveliev, and I will talk to Oleg, if they think that it is necessary to unite, then let them unite, I don't mind.

Irina Voroshilova: On the contrary, highlight the BAM and the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

Vladimir Putin: I understand that it is necessary to allocate in one line, as you said, from Taishet to Sovgavani.

I. Voroshilova: This includes funding, projects – and everything at once.

Vladimir Putin: I understand, but it's either Russian Railways or the Ministry of Transport that should initiate this. No one has ever raised this question. Please, I will talk to them: I will talk to Minister Savelyev, and I will talk to the head of Russian Railways. But if it's appropriate, let them do it, I've never objected to it. This is the first time I've heard that it exists.

Will this help new construction? I also don't really understand how this can help construction. There they constantly have, sorry for the moveton, "graters" go to whom, how much and who will build, on what conditions. This is being handled by Deputy Prime Minister Khusnullin. I'm generally aware of what's going on. I hope the work goes on and on.

It is also in difficult conditions, but all the goals will be achieved. I will definitely promise you that I will look at it. It's just the first time I've heard that such a problem exists, especially since if it comes from the BAM people, we should treat it with respect. We'll definitely take a look. And of course, we should properly celebrate the 50th anniversary of BAM.

Here are BRICS and Tatarstan. What do we have?

A. Khalilullov: Artur Khalilullov, Tatar-inform.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, as we know, BRICS will be held in Kazan. In this regard, I have two questions.

First, what impact will the summit have on changing the world order based on so-called rules, primarily Western ones, as we understand it?

And the second question: is the choice of Kazan connected with the fact that the capital of Tatarstan has recently become a kind of diplomatic hub in relations with eastern countries and countries of the Muslim world?

Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: No, it's just that Tatarstan is developing well, and Kazan is one of the best examples of such development. The conditions are good. Both the former President and the current one, Minnikhanov, are working well, and we see results.

I remember that Mintimer Sharipovich [Shaimiev] and I used to come back and visit the houses. Do you know what made me happy then? You couldn't call them houses-they were really dugouts. This was in the early 2000s. Dugouts in the full sense of the word. But so clean, we went into the house-it's clean, everything is so tidy well. I still have this feeling of respect for people who lived in such modest conditions and maintained everything at such a level, you know? The level of internal culture of the people is not that striking, but it causes respect. This is evident, and I think that this is also due to the fairly confident development of Tatarstan, the capital of Tatarstan-the city of Kazan-first of all.

The city is in good condition, the infrastructure is developed. Kazan has hosted a number of major international events, both sporting and general political. It naturally becomes the center of attraction, if you prefer the word "hub" – please, hub. Tatarstan is a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional republic, relations between faiths are built properly, a good example in principle for the whole country. And this is the reason for choosing Kazan.

As for the rule – based world order, there are no such rules. They change every day, depending on the current political situation and the immediate interests of those who speak about it. How will it affect this situation? It will affect you in the right direction. It will show that there are quite a large number of forces in the world, powerful countries that want to live not by these unwritten rules, but by the rules prescribed in the fundamental documents, which include the Charter of the United Nations, and those that are guided by their own interests and the interests of their partners. They do not impose anything on anyone, do not create any military blocs, but create conditions for joint effective development.

This is what Russia's work as BRICS chair next year will focus on.

Pavel Zarubin: What planes will we fly to this summit on? After all, it was aviation that was hit with one of the most powerful blows of Western sanctions, and it quickly became clear that our airlines, which in previous years you personally literally forced to buy Russian planes, and they, frankly, were not eager, now just lined up for these planes. But so far, we fly mostly on foreign planes, and people are worried about whether it's safe. Now any message about any air accident is perceived much more acutely.

I suggest you arrange a video call for us now. Maxim Saltykov from Moscow. Maxim, if you can hear us, then ask your question.

Mikhail Saltykov: Hello, Mr President! My name is Maxim, I am a cadet of the Civil Aviation Flight School.

My question is this. What will happen to our civil aviation in the current geopolitical situation, in the conditions of existing sanctions, which result in the inability of our airlines to purchase Western aircraft? Because the domestic MS-21 and Il-96 are still being certified and will not soon reach large production volumes. And for those planes that are currently flying in Russian airlines, the resource will steadily come to an end.

This also raises another problem. Quite a small percentage of graduates get a job in our airlines, despite the fact that educational institutions conscientiously and systematically prepare us for labor exploits.

To sum up: will we fly, Mr Putin, and on what?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: We will, of course,we will.

As for foreign-made aircraft. Yes, indeed, Pavel [Zarubin] said: we constantly had disputes with our companies that bought without restrictions-conditionally without restrictions, but nevertheless-too many, in my opinion, foreign-made aircraft, arguing this also for understandable reasons: engine efficiency, compliance with noise requirements of international organizations, etc. so on, – there are many arguments. But it would be better to take timely care of creating a market for domestic equipment.

We talked about it all the time. One way or another, something has been done in creating this market. But, indeed, our aircraft fleet is very overloaded, I would say, with foreign-made aircraft. I think that our companies did the right thing: they did not respond to illegal actions on the part of leasing companies. But the process is still going on: no one wants to lose money, and we buy some of these aircraft, so they become the property of Russian aviation companies.

But we need to develop our own aircraft industry. I hope that all the plans that we have in mind, and we plan to produce over a thousand aircraft by 2030, our own aircraft: this is the MC-21, this is the conversion of existing aircraft with our domestic engines-PD. We need to start producing the next engine, a more powerful one – the PD-35-with powerful thrust. This will enable us to increase the number of long-haul aircraft, including the IL-96-400. By the way, it has already started working in the cargo version – it is longer by almost 12 meters. So you need to work. There are opportunities to implement all our plans.

I will repeat once again: I hope that all these plans will be implemented, there will be something to fly and specialists-pilots, there will be something to fly passengers. Yes, and of course, we are also talking about small aircraft for regional flights.

Pavel Zarubin: The audience is boiling over.

Dmitry Sergeevich, please.

Dmitry Peskov: One more question from the audience. You know, I've seen the New York Times. Please give me a microphone.

Vladimir Putin: No, let's give it to Xinhua first, and then to the New York Times.

Liu Kai: Good afternoon, Vladimir Vladimirovich! Hello!

Vladimir Putin: Hello!

Liu Kai: I'm very happy to ask you a question. The Chinese news agency Xinhua. My name is Liu Kai. Two questions for you.

The first. As we know, Russia will assume the BRICS presidency next year. What do you think is the importance of interaction and coordination between China and Russia in BRICS and in general?

And the second question: what are your expectations for the development of Sino-Russian relations next year?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: We know – and I will just repeat that I must do this-that our level of cooperation with the People's Republic of China is unprecedented. We have said many times that we hope to reach a trade turnover of $ 200 billion next year. We will have it this year – not next year, but this year-over 200 billion rubles. It will be necessary to calculate in the first quarter of next year – I think there will be 220-230 billion rubles of trade turnover. This is already a decent [indicator]. Last year we had a 31 percent increase in trade turnover, and this year we will have a 30 percent increase.

We are steadily developing our economic ties, and in a wide variety of areas. What makes me happy is the diversification of our relations. We are developing relations in the field of infrastructure, building bridges, roads, and working together in high-tech areas-and we will continue to do so.

A significant boost to the development of our relations was given during and following the visit of the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, in March. We have agreed that we will develop relations in eight main directions. Relevant documents have been signed. The Governments of both the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China have actively engaged in the implementation of the goals that President Xi Jinping, my friend and I, and our country's friend, have set out. The work is intensive, stable, and reliable.

As for BRICS and our role, I won't say anything new here either, but this vector is getting stronger, namely: Russian-Chinese relations are one of the essential guarantors of stability in the world.

We see what is happening both around Russia and around China. We see attempts by the West to switch NATO's activities to Asia and towards Asia, which clearly go beyond the statutory goals of this organization – the North Atlantic Bloc. It is also called the North Atlantic Bloc – what should it do in Asia? No, they are dragging themselves to Asia, provoking the situation there, inflaming the situation, creating new military-political blocs in different composition.

I won't repeat it now – everyone knows this very well: We are not doing anything like this with China. Yes, we cooperate in the military, economic, and humanitarian spheres, but we do not create any blocks. And our friendship is not directed against third countries – it is aimed at the benefit of ourselves, but not against anyone else.

What we see from the West is that they are all trying to be friends against someone else. We are closely monitoring this and will jointly respond in a timely and effective manner. No one should have any doubts about this.

Dmitry Peskov: And give it to the New York Times, since we promised.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, the New York Times, please.

V. Hopkins: Valerie Hopkins, the New York Times.

For almost a year, Western media correspondents have not been able to take part in such events. I am very happy that we can participate today. Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: It's Peskov's fault. (Laughter.) I am an open person with democratic beliefs and views.

Vladimir Hopkins: We will talk about this. Please allow me to ask a question in English.

Vladimir Putin: Please.

:(as translated)My colleague, correspondent Evan Gershkovich, has been in prison for 37 weeks, and his detention was extended again today-without trial. Paul Whelan is also a US citizen and has been in prison for five years. A State Department official who believes both men were detained illegally said recently that Moscow has refused a serious, reasonable offer to return them to the United States.

Is it true? Why not bring them home? Maybe we can find some kind of compromise with the United States to bring these men home? Maybe this could have an impact on improving relations between Russia and the United States, which are in a rather difficult situation right now?

Vladimir Putin: Did you say that your colleague is from [what] publication?

В.Хопкинс: The Wall Street Journal.

Vladimir Putin: [They said] he is in prison without trial, but at the same time you mentioned that his detention has been extended. But if his detention was extended, it was done by a court decision. So to say that this is without a trial and investigation is incorrect.

As for the possible extradition of these citizens to their homeland. You say: "Why don't they go back to their homeland?" Why don't they commit violations on the territory of the Russian Federation? But this is all rhetoric. But it's not that we refused to return them – we don't refuse, we want to reach an agreement, and these agreements should be mutually acceptable and should suit both sides.

We have contacts with our American partners on this issue, and the dialogue is going on in this regard – it is not easy. I won't go into details now, but in general I think that we speak a language that is clear to each other. I hope that we will find a solution. But, I repeat, the American side must also listen to us and make an appropriate decision – one that suits the Russian side as well.

But humanitarian considerations should certainly underpin these decisions. Here I agree with you completely.

Yelena Berezovskaya: Mr President, the topic is seasonal: winter, cold weather, everyone is sick – we jump a little from topic to topic, but this is the format we have. Rospotrebnadzor records the incidence of flu and coronavirus simultaneously. In addition, a record increase in the incidence of measles this year – as much as 300 times more than last year.

Vladimir Putin: 30 times?

E. Berezovskaya: There are 300 times more cases.

Vladimir Putin: Three hundred?

E. Berezovskaya: Yes, measles. And quite reasonably, our citizens associate this with the lack of a vaccine.

They write to us, for example, from the Samara region: "In the Samara region, there is no vaccine for measles, rubella and mumps for more than four months." And in addition to medicines, I will add: a huge number of appeals from our citizens who need Western medicines, who have left. Not all analogs are suitable, sometimes they have, unfortunately, the opposite effect. How does our pharmaceutical industry adapt in this regard and does everything work out?

Vladimir Putin: As for the preparations for immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, there is also such a technical failure in fact, and it is regrettable. What is it related to? This is due, oddly enough, to the egg, because the raw material for the production of measles vaccine is chicken egg. It is necessary that it is in sufficient quantity and the quality necessary for the production of medical products. It just wasn't done in a timely manner. This is the first one.

Secondly, all decisions have been made there, and I don't think there will be such a problem in the near future.

You mentioned mumps, rubella.

E. Berezovskaya: A three-component vaccine.

Vladimir Putin: Well, this is a vaccine against three types of diseases at once. I think that all this will be resolved in the near future. In general, we have no questions about vaccination and vaccines. Here it is, but it will be resolved in the near future-the first.

Second – by the way, there is such a surge in measles cases in the world, it gets pregnant all over the world once every four years. Related to what? Unfortunately, this is due to low immunization rates in the countries where labor migrants come from, and in Ukraine, because millions of people have also moved from Ukraine to us. But in Ukraine, immunization is at a very low level, it was, and probably is even lower now. And this is also a real problem. Plus our technical glitch. I hope, as our experts have told me and continue to say, that all this will be resolved.

Yes, as for the withdrawal of a number of companies from our market, this is a problem. There, however, among these vital drugs only 14, in my opinion. But the industry is actively working, and we do not close any imports. Our Ministry of Health and the Government see these problems, a special commission on import substitution has been set up, and it is working. And they assure me that they understand what is happening, do and will eventually do everything to ensure the interests of people who need certain drugs.

As for the replacement, yes, it happens that something does not fit, you need to look for it, and the industry should work, and doctors should work on it. It often happens purely psychologically that a person is used to a certain medicine, but this is important, even psychology is very important. Whether a person believes in this medicine or not, I understand that. We will buy imports and produce them ourselves, and the volume is growing.

Pavel Zarubin: Medicine, the state of primary care remains a hot topic, there are a lot of questions even from large cities about the fact that you can't get to narrow specialists, that there are not enough doctors, orderlies – a wave of requests from towns and villages.

Let's call Yegor Perminov from the Sverdlovsk region, Reftinsky urban-type settlement. Egor, if you can hear us, please ask your question.

And on to Part Three.

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