Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia and the United States can work together on a plan for Syria and defeating ISIS, saying the group “is posing a threat to everyone”.
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He said that Russian Federation had “found contacts” with people among the “armed, uncompromising” opposition in Syria.
One of the keynote events of the Russian political year starts shortly when Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual news conference. The document builds on the principles of the peace process agreed at the end of worldwide talks on Syria in the Austrian capital of Vienna in November. “That’s why we will have to correct something there”, he said.
Putin, who has largely led the country as either president or prime minister since being anointed prime minister in 1999 by his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, gave no indication he was on track to relax his grip on power or shake up his inner circle. “Russia, Putin – mwah”, said Mohammed Antar, a resident of Latakia who now drives a bus on the Russian base, blowing a kiss with his fingers.
And in a more sobering assessment of recent developments, the FT’s Courtney Weaver thinks Mr Putin offers a glimpse into the future for the United States – if it elects Donald Trump as president.
The Kremlin strongman meanwhile accused the Turkish government of toadying to Washington, as he addressed the downing of a Russian bomber at the Syrian border by Ankara last month.
Putin also conceded for the first time that there were Russian military personnel in Ukraine, having previously denied it. He says that he wants to move to another level of relations, to a deeper level of relations with Russian Federation.
He added that he believed the Syrian authorities would also accept the draft resolution, urging both sides to compromise.
“If someone in the Turkish leadership chose to lick the Americans in a particular place I don’t know whether they acted correctly or not and I don’t know… whether the Americans needed that”, said Putin, referring to the shooting down.
“We will help settle this crisis in every possible way”, Putin said.
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“What have they achieved?” Speaking at a televised news conference Thursday, Putin said that he sees no possibility of overcoming the diplomatic strain under the current Turkish leadership.
