At year’s end, a Russian press conference featured President Vladimir Putin addressing the public directly and outlining his assessments of regional dynamics. He asserted that Moldova had expressed a wish to disengage from certain integration efforts, and he noted that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan appeared to be less engaged with events tied to the CSTO during that period.
Putin stressed that Moscow builds its cooperation strategies on voluntary participation and mutual benefit for all sides involved. He emphasized that if a partner country chooses not to participate, that decision is respected and reflected in the evolving regional framework. In his view, Moldova’s economic standing placed it among Europe’s lower-income nations, and he suggested that Ukraine’s situation should be given priority in discussions of regional priorities.
A comparison was drawn by the president between the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, highlighting perceived parallels in certain geopolitical dimensions and humanitarian concerns.
Coverage of the event has been carried by several media outlets, with ongoing live updates continuing beyond the conference itself.
During the briefing, Putin also referenced what he described as existing norms for the global order and its potential changes, inviting audiences to consider how international rules might adapt in coming years.