Some 1,000 key figures, including federal and regional officials and religious leaders, listened as Putin delivered his annual address to the Federal Assembly. Many in Russia and abroad were eager to hear his views on ties with America in the wake of Donald Trump's presidential election victory.
"We do not seek and never have sought enemies. We need friends," Putin said in a likely reaction to criticisms of Moscow's involvement in Syria and Ukraine. "But we will not allow our interests to be infringed upon or ignored." Putin did not directly attack the U.S. or Europe as he had in recent years.
With Trump's win, Putin seems to be angling for better ties with the West. "Demand for political and economic independence is currently on the rise" among European Union members, he said, and stressed that European and American sanctions were not the main cause of Russia's economic troubles. He also called for greater cooperation on nuclear nonproliferation and the fight against terrorism.
Putin expressed hopes for "substantial progress" in relations with Japan, which he will visit starting Dec. 15. "We welcome the commitment of the country's leaders to promote economic ties with Russia by launching joint projects," he said, without touching on their territorial dispute. Putin also called Japan "our eastern neighbor" rather than a friend.
The president praised China for pursuing a foreign policy independent from that of the U.S. The partnership between Moscow and Beijing "can be regarded as a model for shaping a world order free from the domination of a single country, no matter how strong it is, and taking into account the interests of all countries in harmony," he said, adding that it is important for the duo to pursue new major projects every year in various fields.
Putin could be fishing for large-scale economic deals from both Japan and China for developing the Russian Far East -- one of his key goals. He may also be trying to encourage Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to shake off U.S. influence in his Russia strategy.
Most of the speech was dedicated to domestic affairs. Despite a tough economy, "our people have united around patriotic values," Putin said. He projected that gross domestic product would fall only slightly this year.
Such factors as sluggish investment have kept the Russian economy down. Putin discussed measures to boost small and midsize businesses as well as investment, but not in detail. And the national doping prevention program will be ready at the start of next year, he said.
Reuters
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