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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)

11:39 17.12.2015
11:40 17.12.2015
11:46 17.12.2015

Q: When will Russian tourists be allowed to go to Egypt again?

A: It's not a political decision. It's not about distrust for the Egyptian government. It's about security. As soon we have the tools to fully protect our citizens, we will lift the ban. We're not blaming the Egyptian authorities, in fact we are working together.

11:54 17.12.2015

A journalist had to explain the name of her media outlet -- Klopse.ru.

"It's a German dish," she says and begins to ask a question.

Putin interrupts:

"Are they little cutlets?"

11:57 17.12.2015

"We have to start to slowly wrap it up," Putin says.

11:59 17.12.2015

Question about the investigation of Boris Nemtsov's murder.

12:00 17.12.2015

"Foreigners never adopt sick or disabled children. Therefore, we won't change our existing policy," Putin said about a possibility to lift the ban of foreigners adopting Russian children.

12:03 17.12.2015

"I knew Nemtsov personally. I wasn't the one who spoiled our relations. The investigation has to take place and we need to wait for its findings."

Putin emphasizes that those guilty of crimes must be punished.

12:04 17.12.2015
12:05 17.12.2015

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