About the presidential elections
Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitriy Peskov said that the presidential elections in Russia remain in the plans for 2024, therefore, the pre-election processes will begin at the appropriate time.
“Yes, we’ve planned them for 2024, so in terms of the start of some election process, they’re probably going to follow up one way or another,” he said.
Peskov added that Vladimir Putin never separated the pre-election and non-election years. Therefore, there are no plans for 2023.
The press secretary of the Presidency noted that there are moments of destiny in the history of the country, therefore the responsibility of the head of state and everyone else increases from time to time. That is why the Kremlin’s main tasks for the coming year continue to work effectively and efficiently.
About communication with journalists
Peskov admitted that the president’s communication with journalists will not be the same as before. He linked the change in the way of communication to the pandemic and its consequences.
“To be honest, it is unlikely to be the same as before the pandemic, there is nothing to hide in the near future. “You see the mutation processes going on, you see how strong the epidemiological waves of influenza in different types are,” he said.
Dmitry Peskov emphasized that in the context of an increasing epidemiological threat, the health of the president has become a matter of state security, therefore the Kremlin does not consider precautionary measures superfluous. At the same time, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman acknowledged that the president’s communication with the press will become more liberal as the viral waves wanes.
About Xi Jinping’s visit
Peskov said that it is not yet known when Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to Russia.
“So far these details have not been determined. The Kremlin spokesperson will be determined through diplomatic channels,” he said. Early on December 29, during a video call with the Chinese leader, Vladimir Putin invited him to Moscow. The visit is expected to take place in the spring of 2023.
Peskov evaluated the meeting between the two leaders as “very constructive, voluminous in content, partnership talks”.
About the crash of a rocket in Belarus
The information that a missile from the Ukrainian S-300 complex is believed to have landed in the Brest region of Belarus the previous day raises concerns in Moscow.
“This is an event of extreme concern not only for us, but also for our Belarusian partners,” said Dmitry Peskov.
According to him, the armies of the two countries are in constant contact and sharing confidential information.
About Ukraine’s law on national minorities
The Kremlin has yet to see the new Ukrainian law on national minorities signed by Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, but plans to review it.
“We haven’t seen it, but we need to look at whether there is a right to education in the language of the minorities, who are of course national minorities. Here you need to study the details, I am not familiar with it, so I do not dare to say anything, ”said the press secretary of the president of Russia.
The signed Zelensky law prohibits discrimination against national minorities and guarantees equal “civil, political, social, economic, cultural and linguistic rights and freedoms”. However, it is also stated in the document that these rights and freedoms can be limited by the state.
About New Year’s greetings
The Kremlin has almost no dialogue with the authorities of hostile states, so Vladimir Putin does not intend to congratulate the leaders of these countries on the New Year.
“These interlocutors themselves do not send congratulations. Actually, we don’t have any communication with them at the moment. And given the hostile actions that they constantly carry out, the president will not congratulate, ”Peskov said.
At the same time, the Kremlin press service on Friday congratulated Vladimir Putin’s Silvio Berlusconi (Italy), Robert Kocharyan (Armenia), Nursultan Nazarbayev (Kazakhstan), Serzh Sargsyan (Armenia), Gerhard Schroeder (Germany) on the occasion of Christmas and New Year reported that he did. .