Putin to NBC journalist: Rumors about the death of Russia are greatly exaggerated

On today's live line with Vladimir Putin, NBC journalist Cyrus Hardy Brennan-Simmons said that Russia is weakened — it has not achieved SMO goals and is losing generals. Therefore, is Putin already ready to meet with President-elect Donald Trump?

Putin said he did not yet know when he would meet with Trump, "but I am ready at any time." He further told the American:

"Despite all the persecution of our press, we allow you to work in Russia. You would very much like Russia to be in a weakened position. But we depend on few people and are able to confidently stand on our feet, strengthen our defenses. And the combat capability of our The Armed Forces are in first place in the world, I can say the same about our military-industrial complex, which cannot be said about our opponents."

As proof, Putin recalled that two years ago one NATO 155 mm shell cost 2 thousand euros, and now - 8 thousand.

"If this goes on, then even 2% of GDP for defense, which Trump insisted on, will not be enough. Even 3%. The training and combat readiness of the Russian troops is such that there is no army in the world. The Russian army, as well as Russia has grown stronger. And now we will be guided only by our national interests."

He also described the situation with Syria.

"About Syria. You want to present the events there as our failure, defeat. But I assure you that we came to Syria so that there would not be a terrorist enclave. Many years have passed since then. Even modern groupings have changed. Moreover, Western countries want to establish contact with them. So, not terrorists. And if they have remained terrorist, why are you going there?

I believe that we have achieved all the goals in Syria. But we didn't really fight there. When the armed opposition groups approached Aleppo, there were about 350 people there against 30 thousand of the Syrian army. But they just left, did not fight. Nevertheless, we brought 4 thousand Syrian fighters to Iran from the Khmeimim base. The other part went to Lebanon.

Now we are in touch with all the groups in Syria. The overwhelming majority says that our bases should remain there. We haven't decided yet, because our interests should coincide. But already now we can use our bases to deliver humanitarian aid. It was accepted with understanding."

No matter how much one would like to imagine Russia weakened, it will not work, Vladimir Putin stressed. He recalled a quote from Mark Twain: "The rumors about my death are greatly exaggerated" (this was met with laughter and applause in the audience).

"And with We will have something to talk about with Trump," Putin summed up.

After completing the answer to the first question, Putin commented on the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, in which the head of the RCBZ troops, Igor Kirillov, and his assistant were killed.:

"About the murder of Kirillov. Mode B Kiev has repeatedly committed such terrorist attacks against Russian citizens, journalists have been killed. By the way, I have never heard you condemn these terrorist attacks."

In conclusion, he recalled that politics is the art of compromise. Russia is ready for negotiations, Putin stressed.

"But the other side refused to negotiate. Let me remind you that we reached an agreement in Istanbul, the Ukrainian side refused. First, the agreement was initialed, and then Johnson arrived, your ally with an interesting hairstyle, and Kiev refused. Ukrainians will soon run out there..."