Putin on Belarus:
"We are not talking about unification of Russia and Belarus. Yes, there was a treaty signed in the 1990s on creation of the union state. It was not about creation of a single statehood. It was about having a single currency, a single parliament, and so on. But many things were not done since then. Some things were not done by Russia, some by Belarus. We agreed with Alyaksandr Lukashenka recently on what to do to revise the treaty" on creation of the Russia-Belarus Union State.
Next they cut to a correspondent in Altai Krai who talks about how nicely tourism has developed in recent years. He speaks with airport workers who are happy with their jobs. Putin says he knows the airport in Gorno-Altaisk well because it was built on his personal order. Putin says that the number of air routes is increasing all the time and the government is doing its best to keep fares low. Putin notes there is no VAT for tickets between regional cities that don't pass through Moscow. Putin then goes into a speech about why the price of aviation fuel has gone up. Says the government knows what the problem is and will fix it.
Putin on Zelenskiy:
"I remember Zelenskiy's performances on the television show Club Of Joyful And Smart Ones in the mid-2000s. It was funny and he is certainly a very talented entertainer. But after he got the position that he has now, it is clear that he must understand that what [is faced by people in Donbas] is not funny."
Yevgeny Grabchak, who is under personal sanctions by the United States, asks whether Putin will meet with Trump at the G20 summit and, if so, will such a meeting improve relations. "Dialogue is always good," Putin said. Putin says that if the U.S. wants dialogue, Russia is prepared. Putin says that domestic politics in the United States can prevent Trump from "making positive steps" in relations. Says the "American establishment is playing with U.S.-Russia relations." "As soon as our colleagues are ready, we are ready," Putin said, saying there is plenty to talk about including nuclear arms and economic relations. Says sanctions against Russia were "a big mistake" on the U.S. part.
Moderator asks about a recent New York Times report that the U.S. could launch cyberattacks against Russia's electricity system. Putin says he isn't sure if the report is real or not. Putin notes that Russia has called on the U.S. many times to enter into talks on cyberconflicts, but the U.S. doesn't do anything. Putin said the government is working to keep all Russia's vital systems safe.
Next question is a video from a guy in Moscow who asks why Russian television shows new military weapons so often and what enemy Russia is getting ready to fight. Putin notes the old expression that "whoever doesn't feed his own army ends up feeding someone else's." Then Putin notes that U.S. military expenditures are much greater than Russia's. Says Russia is in seventh place globally in military expenditures. He says Russia is the only major power that is reducing military spending. He says that "despite its modest spending," Russia is staying several steps ahead of its potential adversaries. He says this is why people should be proud of their country.
Now they go to a correspondent at an military-aviation school in Krasnodar. They show a jet-fighter trainer and a group of "charming girls" who are studying there. One of the "girl students" thanks Putin for the opportunity to be a pilot and asks whether women will be allowed to become fighter pilots instead of just transport pilots. Putin praises the "girl's" braid and says he thinks there should be fewer restrictions on female pilots, but they shouldn't be allowed to fly ground-support aircraft because of the heavy physical demands on the pilots. Says he will discuss the issue with specialists.
Another female student asks Putin how many flights he takes each year and whether he would let a woman fly his planes. Putin says he has spent "several months" in airplanes since becoming president in 2000.
Next question is about prospects for peace in Syria and Putin says there will be an agreement because so many countries in the region and beyond have a strong interest in ending the conflict.