Putin says he’s ‘ready’ for potential talks with Trump during year-end news conference

By Anna Chernova, Nathan Hodge, Sophie Tanno and Darya Tarasova, CNN

(CNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he had not spoken to US President-elect Donald Trump in over four years, but was “ready” for potential talks with him, amid expectation that the new administration in Washington will push for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.

During the Russian president’s marathon year-end news conference, Putin also declined to say when Russian forces would retake the southern Kursk region from Ukraine, insisting that they were making advances “along the entire frontline.”

The Moscow event on Thursday consists of a public Q&A session combined with a public phone-in, which Putin stages annually to show his sweeping control of all aspects of the country.

“You asked what we can offer, or what I can offer to the newly elected President Trump when we meet,” Putin said in response to a question from NBC’s Kier Simmons. “First of all, I don’t know when we will meet. Because he hasn’t said anything about it. I haven’t spoken to him at all in over four years. Of course, I am ready for this at any time, and I will be ready for a meeting if he wants it.”

Asked whether Russia would be in a weaker negotiating position because of recent setbacks in the Middle East and on the battlefield in Ukraine, Putin replied, “You said that this conversation will take place in a situation when I am in some weakened state… And you, and those people who pay your salaries in the US, would very much like Russia to be in a weakened position.

“I adhere to a different point of view. I believe that Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years. Why? Because we are becoming a truly sovereign country, we are already hardly dependent on anyone.”

Trump has denied having multiple calls with Putin since leaving office, contradicting a report by veteran journalist Bob Woodward in a recent book that the pair had held “maybe as many as seven” conversations since 2021.

Asked about Russia’s southern Kursk, where Kyiv’s forces are fighting to hold onto settlements following a surprise incursion launched in August, Putin declined to commit to stating when Russia would recapture the whole region – but promised it would happen.

“I cannot and do not want to name a specific date when they will push [the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of the Kursk region],” he said.

“Our guys are fighting, there is a battle going on right now, and serious battles. It is unclear why, there was no military sense in the Ukrainian Armed Forces entering the Kursk region, or holding on there now as they are doing, throwing their best units there to be slaughtered. But nevertheless, it is happening.”

He added, “We will definitely push them out, there is no other way.”

In response to a question on how Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – which in Russia is referred to euphemistically as the “special military operation” – was going, Putin said the “situation is changing dramatically,” as the war approaches its third year.

“Movement is going on along the entire front line, every day.”

He continued: “And as I already said, we are not talking about advancing 100-200-300 meters. Our fighters are taking and returning territory in square kilometers. I want to emphasize – every day.”

His answer comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged in an interview published Wednesday that Ukraine lacks the strength to take back all its territory occupied by Russia.

Russian forces failed to capture the capital Kyiv in the early weeks of the war, but the war in the east of Ukraine has turned into a costly and brutal war of attrition.

Ukrainian forces remain in the Kursk region but have slowly ceded ground to Russian forces there. Kyiv has said North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian troops there have suffered heavy losses.

Putin did not mention North Korean troops in his reply to the caller, but promised that housing and infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the fighting would be restored.

“I understand that there is nothing good about what is happening to you,” the Russian leader said. “People are suffering heavy losses, hardships, and daily inconveniences, especially those related to children. But rest assured, we will do everything necessary. We will restore everything.”

Also during the conference, Putin condemned the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the man who headed Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical protections forces, in Moscow on Tuesday morning, saying it was a “terrorist act” by Ukraine.

“As far as the murder of Gen. Kirillov is concerned… You just said – an assassination attempt,” Putin said in response to NBC’s Simmons.

“I am grateful to you for that. Because you indirectly admitted that this was a terrorist act. Why? Because this murder was committed in a way that put in danger the lives of many. The Kyiv regime has repeatedly committed such crimes, terrorist crimes, terrorist attacks against many citizens of the Russian Federation.”

The Russian general was wanted by Ukraine for using chemical weapons. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office has said Britain will not mourn Kirillov, who was killed along with an aide.

“We have never heard from the Western journalistic corps condemnation of such terrorist attacks,” Putin said, claiming without evidence that Ukrainian forces have targeted civilians in Russia’s Kursk region. “But I am grateful to you at least for the fact that you remembered this.”

Again responding to Simmons, Putin said he would enquire about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria.

“I haven’t met with President [Bashar al-]Assad since his arrival in Moscow, but I plan to do so, I will definitely talk to him,” Putin said, referring to the Syrian dictator who has sought refuge in Russia after the collapse of his regime.

Putin appeared to cast doubt on whether Assad could account for Tice.

“But you and I are adults, we understand, right?” Putin said. “12 years ago, a man disappeared in Syria, 12 years ago! We understand what the situation was there 12 years ago, there was active military action, and on both sides. Does President Assad himself know what happened to this American citizen, a journalist who was doing his journalistic duty in a combat zone? Nevertheless, I promise that I will ask this question to those people who control the situation on the ground in Syria today.”

The annual event allows citizens and journalists to ask the Russian president questions directly, providing a glimpse into Putin’s views on critical matters, and gives the Kremlin leader a platform to showcase his main talking points and address both domestic and international issues. The marathon sessions in the past have lasted well over four hours.

This year’s conference comes amid mounting economic challenges, ongoing tensions over the war on Ukraine, and increased scrutiny on Russia’s international and domestic policies as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in the United States.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.