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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)

10:25 17.12.2015
10:25 17.12.2015
10:28 17.12.2015

Dozhd TV channel jokes about a journalist holding a drawn poster of Putin with Yaroslavl written on it and a red heart : "And you have to hold this for five hours."

10:29 17.12.2015
10:31 17.12.2015
10:32 17.12.2015

On question about tense relations between Russia and Georgia:

"It's their fault completely."

10:35 17.12.2015

Here's the wrap-up so far from our news desk:

Russian President Vladimir Putin says 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, speaking at an annual question and answer session at the Kremlin, said Russia will continue to fight in Syria as long as Assad's forces are fighting against Islamist militants.

The United States, Germany, France, and Britain, among others have insisted that Assad must not be a part of any transition government in Syria.

Putin also said he was undecided on whether Russia needed to establish a permanent military base in Syria.

"If we have to reach somebody [in the world], we shall do so," he said, in reference to Russia's long-range missile capabilities.

Russia has been conducting bombing raids in Syria since September 30 at the invitation of Assad's government.

Western countries have accused Russia of attacking moderate forces opposed to Assad's rule instead of the Islamic State militants and other extremist groups in Syria that Moscow claims to be targetting.

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

10:35 17.12.2015

"Mikheil Saakashvili just couldn't get a U.S. visa, so they sent him to Ukraine."

Putin is now talking about the fact that Ukrainians can't seem to find decent people to govern themselves, so they have to have officials "shipped in from abroad." Putin calls Saakashvili's appointment "a spit in the face" of Ukrainians.

10:37 17.12.2015

Russian journalist shares Putin's gestures and facial expressions:

10:39 17.12.2015

Putin says they are ready to lift a visa regime with Georgia.

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