Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
December 19, 2019
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The following are highlights from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual end-of-year news conference on Thursday.
ON RUSSIAN DOPING SCANDAL
“On WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency’s) and WADA’s decision. I believe that it’s not just unfair, it also goes against common sense.”
“Any punishment should be individual. If someone is guilty of something specific, then that is completely natural and just. But if the vast majority of our athletes are clean, how can they be sanctioned for the actions of anybody else?”
“If WADA does not have any claims against our national Olympic Committee, then our team should be allowed to participate under its own flag. Deal with specific people.”
“We are doing everything to make sure Russian sport is clean.”
UKRAINE PEACE TALKS
“There is nothing other than the Minsk (peace) Agreements. I was of course concerned by (Ukrainian President) Zelenskiy’s statement… that they could be revised. If a revision of the Minsk Agreements starts, then the situation could enter a complete dead end.”
“Direct dialogue on Donbass is needed. It is lacking.”
“It has been announced recently that some changes will be introduced, related to decentralization. Ok, fine. This is what, instead of the Minsk Agreements? Instead of the law about special status for Donbass? Can one imagine this? Yes. But it is written into the Minsk Agreements that if it relates to Donbass, it must be agreed with these regions. And there is no agreement. This is a cause for concern.”
UKRAINE GAS TALKS
“This is a very difficult, sensitive topic. We would like to solve this problem.”
“We will look for a solution that is acceptable for all parties, including Ukraine. That’s despite the construction of infrastructure such as Nord Stream-1, Nord Stream-2, Turk Stream. We will preserve gas transit through Ukraine.”
“The question relates to the volumes of this transit and the time frame in which we can reach a deal.”
“We have no desire to exacerbate the situation in the energy sector or use this to influence the situation in Ukraine itself.”
“We are interested in Ukraine receiving (gas) in a normal fashion. We want our consumers in Europe to be reassured that we have normal relations with our neighbors and that everything will go to plan.”
(Reporting by Moscow bureau; Writing by Polina Ivanova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
