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Russian President Vladimir Putin fielding questions for his annual question-and-answer session in Moscow today.
Russian President Vladimir Putin fielding questions for his annual question-and-answer session in Moscow today.

Live Blog: Putin Holds Televised Q&A

Russian President Vladimir Putin has finished hosting his annual question-and-answer show with the nation.

Key Points:

On The Economy:

-- Putin admitted that Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP), incomes, and investment were falling while inflation stands at as high as 12.3 percent since the start of the year.

-- He said that Russia's economic activity is showing “signs of stabilization.”

-- Putin said the Russian government predicts growth next year of 0.7 percent, rising to 1.9 percent in 2017 and 2.4 percent in 2018, based on an oil price of $50 a barrel -- more than $10 higher than its current level.

On Syria:

-- Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will never agree to any outside force deciding on whether Bashar al-Assad should remain Syrian president, and added that the crisis in Syria can only be resolved politically.

-- Putin said that Moscow generally supported the U.S. initiative to prepare a resolution on Syria in the UN Security Council.

On Turkey:

-- Putin said Turkey's shooting down of a Russian warplane last month was "a hostile action" and said "it is practically impossible" to make any deals with the current Turkish government. He also accused Turkey of sheltering Islamic militants.

On Georgia:

-- Putin says Moscow is ready to restore relations with the former Soviet republic of Georgia, seven years after a brief war sent relations to an all-time low.


*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Moscow (GMT/UTC +3)

09:48 17.12.2015
09:46 17.12.2015
09:45 17.12.2015

Putin forgot the question about the future of Bashar al-Assad, remembered it last minute.

"We think only the Syrian people can chose their ruler. We support the U.S. initiative on Syria, as well as the proposed UN resolution. I think after reading the resolution project, the Syrian government will be content as well."

09:44 17.12.2015

Putin has commented on the deployment by Russia of its S-400 antiaircraft systems to Syria in the wake of the downing last month by Turkey of a Russian Su-24 jet.

If Turkish planes violated Syrian airspace before, "let them fly now," he said.

From Live Blog: Tracking Islamic State

09:42 17.12.2015

"After the phrase about 'licking Americans' in a particular place' a future dialogue [between Russia and Turkey] is unlikely," reads this tweet.

09:38 17.12.2015
09:37 17.12.2015

"I don't know if somebody in the Turkish government decided to lick Americans' particular place."

Applause.

09:37 17.12.2015

"I don't understand why [Turkey shot down the Russian plane]. They could have talked to us beforehand."

09:35 17.12.2015
09:34 17.12.2015

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