Statements of President Vladimir Putin who is leading the polls
Vladimir Putin offers statements in the framework of the Presidential Elections. teleSUR
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Transcript
00:00 [ Music ]
00:28 >> -- with their hearts, so they came to ensure that there are conditions to make their homeland,
00:34 their country, Russia, stronger.
00:36 That's why.
00:37 Please.
00:38 >> Nikita Korzun, NTV, Mr. President, what are the challenges that you see
00:47 in your new presidential term?
00:50 >> Challenges?
00:50 Well, as for challenges, first of all, we need to resolve the tasks
00:56 within the special military operation to strengthen our defense capabilities,
01:01 to strengthen our armed forces, and it is happening at a great rate and with a great quality.
01:07 But all the main tasks of the development of the country, they were listed
01:14 in the recent address to the Federal Assembly.
01:17 And our goal is to make sure that by using this trust by the citizens of the Russian Federation
01:24 to make everything possible to accomplish all the tasks and to reach all the goals.
01:33 Please.
01:34 >> Mr. President, Anna Derkach, Mir Broadcasting Company, what would you like to say
01:45 to the citizens of Russia this night?
01:46 >> I have just spoken about that when meeting with my headquarter members.
01:53 And I can repeat this.
01:54 Thank you, all citizens of Russia, for the trust you put in me.
01:59 I will do everything in my power to resolve the tasks set out for the country
02:04 to accomplish those goals that we believe an absolute priority.
02:09 Thank you.
02:09 >> Mr. President, first of all, congratulations on May 7th
02:19 after the inauguration as a law your government should quit.
02:27 So maybe you can build your new team in the nearest future.
02:33 And how will your administration change?
02:38 You know, the work over the last couple of years shows that the administrative team
02:45 in the wide sense of the word is quite efficient and the fruit of their labor are quite satisfactory.
02:54 I say this about the government, about the central bank, about the administration
02:59 of the president, and the important thing now is to see who will be the most efficient
03:07 and at which position so that the general outcome of our teamwork was maximal.
03:15 With our colleagues from the administration, from the government, from the central bank,
03:21 because it's also an important part of the executive team that is in charge
03:31 of the macroeconomical stability, we will think about it.
03:34 We will make these decisions.
03:38 There is no haste.
03:40 We have this chance, ensured by the law, that we have now two,
03:44 two and a half months to resolve these matters.
03:47 That's what we are going to do.
03:48 Could you please pass the microphone over there or here, please?
03:55 >> Interfax Agency, recent events in the Belgrade region.
04:00 They say it was a Russian volunteer corps.
04:03 Do you know anything about this organization?
04:07 What is its force and what does it represent?
04:11 You know, back during the great patriotic war, there was a unit created by the traitor Vlasov.
04:19 They were called Vlasovites.
04:22 They also fought against their motherland with weapons in their arms,
04:25 and you know how they ended back then.
04:27 Those traitors, that scum fought on the side of Nazis, and now there are similar people
04:36 who fight on the side of neo-Nazis, of the neo-Nazi regime.
04:40 These are obvious things.
04:42 I do not think we need to repeat this again.
04:45 If their main national hero is Bandera, who served under Hitler, there is nothing else to prove.
04:52 But nevertheless, there are such people, there are several groups like this,
04:57 and the one that you've mentioned, this kind of volunteer corps, there are four of them in total.
05:03 There are some 2,500 of them.
05:10 In total, now they are used as fodder to throw into the battles.
05:16 These are meat grinder battles.
05:18 I can describe them as such.
05:20 So they are being sent there to the state border.
05:23 The losses that they suffer are huge.
05:25 And out of these so-called volunteers, I don't remember how many exactly were used,
05:33 I think some 1,500, and the losses are something like 800 people.
05:42 But here is what I would like to say in this regard.
05:45 They took weapons and they went against their country, against their motherland.
05:54 We do not have capital punishment, but when it comes to these people and people like them,
06:01 in the future we are going to treat them as the people who are in the area of hostilities.
06:07 We are going to treat them as if they were holding weapons.
06:11 All the law enforcement agencies will be instructed to find every single individual
06:21 and to make all the necessary measures against those who are fighting
06:28 against their motherland with weapons in arms.
06:30 So they will not be left alone, and they must remember this.
06:35 Their efficiency is minimal.
06:36 Even at the battlefield, the commanders reported to me,
06:39 you can already see that they are irregular troops.
06:44 They are just running as a crowd.
06:46 They are just going there into this meat grinder to die.
06:50 And in general, they are at the state border despite the terrorist attacks,
06:56 and we are well aware of that.
06:58 The citizens who live in these territories, they have not just showed their civilian awareness.
07:10 They have proven true heroes, and I recently said no one can intimidate them,
07:17 and no one has -- it is impossible to intimidate our people.
07:21 The turnout there in the new territories in the state regions,
07:26 the turnout is higher than on average across the country.
07:29 That's the response of those people to the actions related to those attempts to intimidate them.
07:36 And those who do that, they do not understand who they deal with.
07:40 Well, maybe in part, it is a good thing that they do not understand that
07:47 because they are doomed to be defeated.
07:49 And now, currently, they are trying to get somewhere to enter some settlements.
07:58 Almost 100% of those who delved 100 meters into our territories were destroyed.
08:06 Scores of tanks were destroyed.
08:11 And near the state, not at the state border itself, but near the state border,
08:17 in the rear they have some 5,000 troops, but the losses are some 40%.
08:25 And 35% out of those are irreparable.
08:28 Dozens of tanks, of armored vehicles, and so on and so forth.
08:32 If that's what they like, if that's how they like it, then we are satisfied with that
08:38 because they are launching those senseless offensive.
08:42 It is truly meat grinder.
08:44 So it's even favorable for us.
08:47 So let them try.
08:48 It means the fewer troops there will be that they could use at the other parts of the line of contact,
08:56 fewer of them will be able to participate in the hostilities.
09:00 And in overall, the initiative is absolutely with the Russian armed forces.
09:05 And in some, in certain parts of the front line, our lads are grinding them over.
09:17 They are moving forward every day.
09:21 So this is more than just an active defense.
09:24 And these people that you've mentioned, they will not be forgotten about.
09:29 I can guarantee you this.
09:31 We can guarantee them this.
09:32 And the final question, Mr. President, at these elections, some representatives of the opposition,
09:40 particularly from abroad, they were calling upon their followers today at the midday to vote
09:48 against you, and at the polling stations, there were attempts to set a fire
09:52 or to ruin the ballots with some dyes.
09:57 What do you think about that?
09:59 >> Well, from what I heard, from what was reported to me, the calls were to come to vote at noon.
10:06 So it was supposed to be a manifestation of their opposition sentiments.
10:11 Well, if the call was to come to vote, you know, I can only pray to them for this,
10:22 because when I was speaking and when I was calling to come to the polling station,
10:26 I was not campaigning for myself.
10:28 I was speaking as incumbent head of state.
10:32 So this is my duty to ask people to go to the polling stations to vote.
10:38 That's what their position to come to vote at the polling stations,
10:42 no matter who you vote for, then that was a good thing.
10:45 And from what I understand, it yielded no results.
10:49 But that's not what's important.
10:50 What's important is that some of them were destroying ballots.
10:55 That's the bad thing.
10:56 If you do not want to vote yourself or you want to show trust to some other candidate
11:04 or if you do not want to vote if you do not like anyone, that's one thing.
11:09 But if you want to ruin other people's attempts to vote who decided it was important
11:17 to fulfill their civilian duty and you neglected, denied them of this chance,
11:26 then that's a bad thing.
11:27 That's not democratic.
11:29 What kind of democracy can we speak about here?
11:32 People came, expressed their will, and then someone else comes and ruins their ballots.
11:38 Is this a manifestation of democracy?
11:42 These are the people we have to deal with.
11:45 This libel criminal act and under law, our law enforcement agencies and our courts will act.
11:55 Mr. President, what do you think about the current state and the development
12:08 of the Russian-Chinese relations?
12:10 And in your view, how will the relations between Russia and China look
12:15 like in the future during your new term?
12:19 In China, an important event was held.
12:25 China is developing at very quick rate, very concentrated.
12:30 What's important, the structure of the economy in China is changing towards innovations,
12:37 towards giving the economy more innovative nature.
12:48 And we are trying to follow suit inside our country
12:51 because we are facing the similar tests here in Russia.
12:56 Secondly, People's Republic of China is working actively
13:01 on the international stage and achieving a lot of success.
13:05 They have a lot of friends across the world.
13:07 And those attempts that are made by the unfriendly countries toward China,
13:12 first of all it has to do with the attempts to make all kinds of provocations around Taiwan,
13:20 which is an inherent part of the People's Republic of China.
13:24 And it has to do with the sanctions used against China to stop its development,
13:31 to hinder its development.
13:32 All these attempts are doomed to fail.
13:36 So there is no doubt, even those who are trying to do this, they understand that.
13:43 As for our relations, they have been built for the past two decades.
13:47 They are very sustainable.
13:49 They complement each other.
13:51 And I am confident that this cooperation will continue.
13:54 And in fact, due to the good friendly relations that I have with the President
14:03 of the People's Republic of China, of course that's not the main thing.
14:07 The main thing is that our national interests correspond.
14:10 But it gives a good additional backdrop to strengthening our ties and relations between Russia
14:18 and China as a stabilizing factor internationally from the point of view of the development
14:23 of our activities on the Eurasian space.
14:28 China is implementing its plan for the Silk Road, Belt and Road Initiative.
14:40 I think it's a very important initiative by President Xi.
14:44 And there are a lot of overlapping interests in economy and foreign affairs.
14:50 And I am confident that over the next few years we will continue to strengthen these,
14:55 to increase these, and we will achieve common interests for the good of the Chinese
15:00 and Russian peoples.
15:05 Could you give the floor to Kolesnikov, please?
15:09 - Kommersant Daily, Mr. President, in general about the situation, about the preliminary results,
15:24 is this what you dreamt about?
15:27 I have dreamt about a strong, sovereign, independent Russia.
15:32 And I hope that the outcome of the election will allow us all together with the Russian people
15:37 to accomplish this goal.
15:40 Hello, Information Agency TASS.
15:44 Macron recently said that he will ask Russia to cease fire for the duration of the Olympic
15:56 Games in Paris this summer.
15:58 Is Russia ready to consider this proposal?
16:01 On what conditions?
16:02 And will it depend on the participation or not participation of our athletes in the Olympic
16:08 Games?
16:09 I have not heard this statement by President of France.
16:11 We are ready to consider any request.
16:14 But always, no matter what the situation is, we will first of all think about the interests
16:19 of the Russian Federation.
16:22 And of course about the situation at the front line.
16:26 You know, I have always said that we are in favour of the peaceful negotiations, but
16:32 not because the opponent is running out of ammunition.
16:35 We are in favour of these negotiations if they are in earnest, in long term, have the
16:41 desire to build peaceful, good, neighbourly relations between the two states, and not
16:46 just that they want to use this year or two years to rearm themselves.
16:53 These are important matters.
16:54 As for the Olympic Games, the international officials are perverting the idea of the Olympic
17:00 Movement.
17:01 They are undermining the foundations of the international sports.
17:05 But that's a separate matter to speak about.
17:08 Mr. President, excuse a question in English.
17:15 My colleague will translate.
17:16 Keir Simmons from NBC News.
17:19 Mr. President, journalist Evan Gershkovich spent this election in prison.
17:24 Boris Nadezhdin, who opposes your war in Ukraine, wasn't allowed to stand against you.
17:30 And Alexei Navalny died in one of your prisons during your campaign.
17:36 Mr. President, is this what you call democracy?
17:39 My company, NBC, Keir Simmons, my question is that American journalist Evan Gershkovich
17:49 was among many who spent elections in prison.
17:53 Boris Nadezhdin, who stands against the war, was not allowed to run for president.
17:58 Alexei Navalny died in one of the prisons during your campaign.
18:03 Is this democracy in your view?
18:05 This is life.
18:06 If Mr. Nadezhdin did not participate in this election campaign, first of all, this is the
18:18 result of unsatisfactory work, preparatory work for this election.
18:24 He should have worked more actively with his followers not to allow any mistakes, not to
18:29 allow any falsifications of those ballots.
18:32 From what I know, I do not know it for a fact, but from what I understand, the thing is that
18:40 he did not have enough votes to participate in the election.
18:44 That's one.
18:45 Secondly, as for Mr. Navalny, yes, he passed away.
18:50 It's always a sad thing, but we had other incidents when people in prison died.
19:00 Doesn't it happen in the United States?
19:03 It has happened on many occasions.
19:15 Several days before Mr. Navalny passed away, some colleagues of mine told me, not the people
19:22 from the administration staff, some people told me that there was an idea to exchange
19:28 Mr. Navalny for some people who are behind bars in the Western countries.
19:35 You can believe me or you don't have to believe me.
19:39 That person, he hasn't even finished speaking.
19:42 I said that I'm for it.
19:44 I agree.
19:45 But unfortunately, what happened happened.
19:51 The only condition was for him never to return.
19:55 If he goes away, he stays there.
19:57 But while things like that happen, you cannot do anything about it.
20:04 That's life.
20:09 If you want to know my opinion about whether the elections are democratic or not, I believe
20:14 they are.
20:15 And in your country, can we consider it democratic to use the administrative tools to attack
20:25 one of the presidential candidates in the United States, using, among other things,
20:33 your courts?
20:34 We have no preferences to any of the presidential candidates in the United States.
20:41 We will work with those who will get the trust of the people.
20:46 But using administrative tools, the courts, it's becoming ridiculous.
20:52 It's becoming embarrassing for the United States, for your so-called democratic system.
20:58 I have every reason to believe that no democracy, at least in the presidential election campaigns
21:07 in certain countries of the West, including the United States, does not exist.
21:11 So please accept this as an answer.
21:18 Congratulations on your victory, Kirill Lazarev.
21:30 Over the last few months, you met a lot of people, and on many occasions you said that
21:37 Russian women can do a lot.
21:40 So some of them even became military pilots.
21:51 And among our governors, we have only one woman.
21:56 Are there any other women in the list of potential governors, and is there a chance you will
22:03 offer one of them to become a governor?
22:05 We do not have that many women in the government, too.
22:11 But you know, when we are making these decisions, we are not looking at their gender.
22:18 We're looking at their professional skills, at their qualities.
22:23 But of course, I personally believe the more women there are in the executive bodies, in
22:28 the federal, in the regional, in the municipalities, the better.
22:33 But that's what we are trying to accomplish.
22:36 That's where we are trying to get.
22:38 Ksenia Zhrebsova, 360 TV channel.
22:43 The question is, going back to the elections, the previous three days, both in the Moscow
22:48 region and across the country, foreign observers from 129 countries were working.
22:55 Did you get any feedback from them?
22:57 I know that they were saying that they would like to learn from this experience of holding
23:03 the elections.
23:04 Will we share?
23:05 Of course, we will.
23:06 We have no secrets to hide.
23:09 I'm not going to reveal any secret.
23:12 Several years ago, we had doubts.
23:15 Some administration staff had doubts.
23:21 Some were saying about the need to expand the digital voting.
23:27 Some of the people were against that by various reasons.
23:30 But finally, those who thought that it's transparent enough, it's civilized enough, it's modern
23:36 enough, it allows the majority of people, the vast majority of people to exercise their
23:41 rights, this point of view prevailed.
23:45 And Sobyanin also insisted on that.
23:47 So we started to expand this platform.
23:50 First of all, it is transparent.
23:52 And it is absolutely objective, not like in the United States, this voting by mail.
24:00 You're smiling, but it is important.
24:02 What is voting by mail?
24:04 A person comes, and some time ago in the States, that was like that.
24:08 So the voting period is over.
24:12 But you can't send a ballot in until the midnight, because you're going to the post office.
24:18 And if the day is not over yet, you can send it in.
24:21 And we had a lot of observers, right?
24:25 Including from the foreign states.
24:29 It doesn't matter if they are members of the OSCE or not.
24:33 These are independent people.
24:35 And representatives of the parties, they are watching how the voting is going.
24:40 And what is happening with this voting by mail in the United States of America?
24:44 Who was standing there controlling the whole thing?
24:48 No one.
24:49 You can buy a vote for $10, and then you buy 1,000 votes, and you just throw it in at midnight,
24:57 the whole parcel of it.
24:59 So that's the voting for you.
25:01 That's democracy for you.
25:02 We have nothing of the kind.
25:04 Yes, we are trying to improve our system to make it better during the presidential campaigns.
25:14 And we will be glad we are willing to share this experience with anyone willing to learn.
25:25 Couple of questions more, and we will be ending the press conference.
25:31 Mr. President, I would like to join the congratulations of Russia today.
25:36 The percent, the vote that you are getting, that's a real slap on the face.
25:42 All those external forces who were trying to undermine our internal political system,
25:49 and they were making very serious efforts to achieve this.
25:52 How do you think, will they learn something from this situation that they tried to undermine
25:57 this whole thing?
25:58 Will the people united around you?
26:01 Well, I think so, because people there and all those organizations who are working against
26:07 our country have been working against our country for decades.
26:11 These are not stupid people.
26:13 But you know what the problem is?
26:14 After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there were a lot of specialists on the Soviet Union,
26:21 and they had no other skills but how to fight the Soviet Union.
26:27 And then they used the skills against Russia.
26:31 And they started to convince their political leaders and the people in their countries
26:36 that they need to finish Russia off, because they wanted to keep their jobs.
26:42 But the new generation of specialists is coming in, and they have realistic view of the current
26:49 situation.
26:50 I think they will act in more cunning manner, but they will not change the goals regarding
26:57 Russia.
26:58 Marina Kim, Solovyov Life, congratulations also, and we believe in you strongly.
27:07 And the question is, you have just extended your term, applying for the Polish-Zelensky
27:13 Treaty.
27:14 It has not.
27:15 So who do we negotiate about peace with?
27:19 So we will think about this.
27:21 So it requires some thinking, some research.
27:27 Channel One, Mr. Panushkin, the question about your crew, about your team, the mechanism
27:34 of forming the new elite you spoke about this time at the Euro program, and maybe you need
27:42 some of them already now in 2024, some of these people.
27:46 And as a follow-up to the question about the Belgrade region, barbaric attacks by the Ukrainian
27:51 regime, a lot of people died.
27:53 Some people died, a lot of people were wounded.
27:56 One year ago, Governor Gulatkov, when he was asked how to resolve this question, this problem,
28:01 he said to ensure security of the Belgrade region, the Kharkov region should be joined
28:07 to Russia.
28:08 What do you think about this?
28:09 I'm not ready to speak about what we should join and how, but I do not exclude it.
28:17 I mean the tragic events occurring today, happening today, we will be forced at certain
28:23 point when we deem it necessary to establish a certain sanitary zone in the territories
28:30 currently under control of the Kiev regime.
28:34 To establish safety zones that would be hard to overcome using the strike means that the
28:43 opponent is using.
28:45 First of all, I'm speaking about the foreign means, foreign strike weapons.
28:53 How deep such a zone could be?
28:55 Well, that's a separate thing to discuss.
28:59 As for the future administration and executive branch, you know, when I spoke about this
29:10 project, about this program, Time of the Heroes, I'm not exaggerating anything.
29:16 It's just this idea came to me when I met the last participants of the special military
29:21 operation in St. Petersburg.
29:23 All of them have higher education, graduates of the universities, and then this simple
29:29 idea came to me, and that's something we are trying to organize now, to take these people
29:34 who do not spare their lives for the interest of their homeland.
29:39 They are losing their lives.
29:42 They are getting maimed there.
29:45 So because the service is very difficult, because it's dirty there, there is this snow
29:50 there in the trenches, but they are still fighting.
29:53 Those who have never been in the trenches have a hard time imagining that, but they
29:58 are doing that for the sake of their homeland.
30:02 So it would be the right thing to use them in the future administrations, but they must
30:10 be trained first.
30:11 They must be worked with first.
30:14 And where to use them?
30:15 Well, it depends on where do they themselves see them.
30:19 Some of them would like to work in health care.
30:21 Some of them would like to work in law enforcement agencies or in the military service or the
30:28 state administration.
30:29 It will depend on the choice a person makes.
30:34 And then we need to see what they are willing to do.
30:37 It will depend on the level of training as well.
30:39 And those of them who have no higher education, they must get a chance to receive a higher
30:44 education if they want to.
30:48 It's not some kind of a propaganda treat.
30:51 I hope that it is going to be constant, gradual work for the years to come.
30:57 We have already received more than 30,000 applications.
31:00 Of course, the first step is a few dozens.
31:04 First, we need to choose the best ones out of them, select the best ones out of them,
31:08 but we will continue to expand this effort.
31:14 And that's the path we are going to move along.
31:19 I thought a young man would ask a question, but please.
31:24 Today, the leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyganin, said that tomorrow you plan
31:28 to meet Nikolai Kharitonov.
31:32 Can you confirm that this meeting will take place?
31:34 And if you are going to have this meeting, what will you speak with him about?
31:39 And when will you meet two other presidential candidates?
31:43 Tomorrow I have the plan to meet all the three presidential candidates, and we look at the
31:48 outcome.
31:49 Here is what I would like to say about the Communist Party, about the LDPR, and about
31:55 the New People Political Party.
31:58 As for the New People Party, I do not know what the final outcome.
32:04 But what's always attractive for the people is some kind of novelty.
32:10 People are always looking forward to some changes, some transformation.
32:16 So the result that was accomplished, especially since these are the people, I know the leaders
32:23 of this party well.
32:24 First of all, their focus is to establish favorable conditions for the business development
32:34 in their campaign, speeches of Dvankov and his colleagues.
32:42 I don't know what exactly they said, but in overall, their idea, the gist of their activities
32:48 is first of all in establishing conditions, better conditions for the entrepreneurial
32:56 activities, which is a good thing because these social stratum, the entrepreneurs is
33:05 the basis for the economy, which is the basis for accomplishment of the national goals,
33:11 which is a very important effort.
33:12 As for the Communist Party, we all understand that their voters are first of all people
33:22 who are patriots, patriotic voters, as we call them.
33:26 And under these conditions, the vast majority of their voters decided to vote for the incumbent
33:35 president.
33:37 I mean the difficult situation that we have found ourselves in, and it had certain impact
33:45 on the final outcome.
33:48 And I understand this perfectly, I am aware of that, but that does not mean that their
33:53 voting base is shrinked somehow.
33:58 I do not believe this is true.
34:01 Under normal conditions in our internal political life, everything will remain the way it was.
34:11 So we're about to end, so please.
34:16 You spoke about unprecedented turnout in the new regions, and you spoke about the reasons
34:31 for it, but you did not say, did it come as a surprise because near 100% of the voters
34:39 voted for you, so did it come as a surprise, this outcome?
34:43 Did you expect it, that it will be the outcome in the new regions, because these people have
34:49 become our citizens just recently?
34:51 And the second question, now in the West we hear statements that our elections were not
34:57 free, they're illegitimate, these are bad elections.
35:00 Do you care, are you concerned with what the Western leaders are saying about our elections?
35:06 As for the outcome in Donbass and Novorossiya, and in Crimea as well, actually?
35:13 In principle, I thought they would be so good, so significant, but to see them as good as
35:23 they are today, well, I did not expect that.
35:26 But what does it say?
35:28 It says, first, that we are doing the right things.
35:32 People are grateful to us for the decisions that we have made to protect them, and that's
35:37 the main reason for all our actions.
35:41 Secondly, they expect us to protect them in every sense of this word.
35:46 First of all, in security and safety, and of course they expect us to continue to do
35:53 the economical development of this territory, and we will do everything to make sure that
35:59 all their dreams, all their aspirations came true.
36:03 As for the reaction from certain Western countries, that's something we could expect.
36:09 What do you want them to do, to applaud?
36:12 Because they are fighting against us.
36:15 They are fighting with arms against us.
36:20 So they are going to think that they would be applauding not even me personally, but
36:28 the force that is behind me, the force that wants to strengthen Russia, to increase its
36:33 defence capabilities, to enhance its economic potential and independence in economy and
36:42 finance.
36:43 Their goal is to deter our development.
36:48 Of course, they will say anything.
36:51 Your colleague has just spoken about democracy, and my answer was about how do we assess the
36:57 democratic processes in his country, in certain other countries.
37:01 But this is true.
37:02 The entire world is laughing at what's happening there.
37:07 We are being a little more constrained than their opponents in the other countries.
37:13 We behave in a constrained manner, but that's a disaster.
37:17 That's not democracy.
37:18 That's what it is.
37:20 So for me, it is important that the Russian people made their choice.
37:27 I work in the interests of the Russian people, in the interest of the Russian state.
37:32 I am grateful to the Russian people for the support.
37:36 If we have any foreign journalists to show our democratic attitude, so you're the only
37:47 one brave enough to come.
37:49 Thank you for coming here, for being here, despite your sceptical mood.
37:55 So you're listening to me answering probably in an unpleasant manner, and you wanted to
38:01 ask some tricky questions, but nevertheless, you're here, and it means that not everything
38:06 is lost for the United States.
38:15 Reuters Agency, maybe it is a silly question, but nevertheless, Macron keeps saying about
38:20 possible possibility of sending French, European troops to Ukraine, and that's a matter of
38:28 concern for the European nations.
38:31 How do you think the full-fledged conflict between Russia and NATO, is it possible, and
38:36 how probable is it?
38:37 Well, I think everything is possible in the modern world, and as I said before, and it
38:43 is clear to everyone that this will be one step away from a full-fledged World War III.
38:51 I do not think anyone is interested in this.
38:55 As for the stance of President of France, so he has already made certain adjustments.
39:03 He said that this contingent will perform secondary functions.
39:07 They will take care of training the military personnel in Ukraine.
39:16 They would be explaining to them how to use the Western military equipment, and so on
39:22 and so forth.
39:23 It's not that different from what the mercenaries are doing now.
39:28 And there is a military personnel from the NATO countries, we know that.
39:32 We can hear the French, the English language being spoken, and that's not a good thing
39:37 for them, first of all, because they are the ones who are dying en masse.
39:44 But it is up to them, ultimately, if someone wants to cover their internal political problems
39:57 with this kind of rhetoric, well, that's a well-known trick that is being used quite
40:03 often.
40:04 But I wouldn't want to see France playing this role of exacerbating, escalating, provoking
40:14 the conflict.
40:15 But I would like to see it more discussing possible peaceful solutions, something that
40:26 the other termlies have been speaking about, so they can play their role.
40:30 Not everything is lost.
40:32 But I would like to end with the words of gratitude to the Russian people, to the Russian
40:37 voters.
40:38 Once again, I would like to emphasise, we will do everything in our power to accomplish
40:44 the goals of the national development in all areas.
40:47 Thank you.
40:48 Goodbye.