Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, will hold his annual press conference on Thursday, live aired on state television, following a one-year break.
For the first time in ten years, Putin postponed the press conference in December of last year. Kremlin observers at the time were persuaded that Putin wished to dodge inquiries from foreign media when his army was experiencing a string of defeats in Ukraine.
However, after two years into his campaign, Putin might be feeling lucky. Russia's well-entrenched defenses have resisted Ukraine's most recent counteroffensive, and backing from its allies is waning.
Putin's remarks regarding the conflict in Ukraine
Putin stated that Russia's objectives in Ukraine were "unchanged" despite the crisis.
"When we succeed in our objectives, there will be peace. Let's go back to these objectives; they have not altered. I'll bring up some of the topics we discussed back then: Ukraine's demilitarization, denazification, and neutral status," he stated.
He emphasized that Russian forces were strengthening their front-line positions. He revealed in uncommon specificity that there were over 244,000 troops engaged in combat in Ukraine.
Only after demilitarization would peace be feasible, he claimed.
"We are forced to take further actions, perhaps military ones, if they refuse to negotiate. Or we'll settle on specific conditions. There are other options: come to a compromise or use force to settle the dispute. This is the goal we intend to pursue."
How does Putin do a press conference?
Putin, who just declared that he will seek reelection as president in March 2024, presents himself as a problem-solver on the program.
This year, unlike Putin's past year-end press conferences, there was no formal accreditation process and invitations were sent out by the Kremlin to a limited group of journalists.
"Direct Line with Vladimir Putin" is a meticulously orchestrated call-in television program intended for regular Russians that will air after the press conference.
When citizens get the opportunity to ask Putin a question, they frequently address domestic matters such as infrastructure, the economy, and health care.
More than one and a half million questions have been submitted, Russian state media reported.