From Abu Dhabi to Arctic: Kremlin addresses global, cultural issues

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov provided updates on a range of issues, including the recent video conference between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Arctic, oil markets, and an Oscar-nominated documentary about the Russian leader.

“In the closed part of the video conference, Putin and Xi Jinping are having a candid discussion covering the full spectrum of international and bilateral topics,” Peskov told a briefing, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The spokesperson noted that Russia has had no high-level contacts with France to date, describing existing interactions at the working level as “unremarkable.”

Peskov also addressed the trilateral security group in Abu Dhabi, stating that the Kremlin does not plan to issue statements on the group’s work at this time. He clarified that the start time of the sessions is determined by the delegations on site and expressed Russia’s gratitude to US negotiators for their efforts toward a Ukrainian settlement.

“The exact expiration time of New START (SNV-III) is not fundamentally important; the Kremlin has already spoken on the consequences of the treaty’s termination,” Peskov added.

On the topic of oil, he said the Kremlin sees nothing unusual in India being able to purchase oil from countries other than Russia.

Regarding the Arctic, Peskov responded to statements by European Commissioner Kadri Simson, emphasizing that the region is “ours” for Russia, in contrast to most EU countries.

Finally, Peskov commented on cultural matters, noting that the Kremlin is not familiar with the content of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Mr Nobody against Putin".

To note, David Borenstein’s "Mr Nobody Against Putin", a documentary highlighting the extent to which state propaganda has taken hold in Russian schools, is nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Documentary Feature.

The footage used in the documentary was shot over two years by Pavel Talankin, an events coordinator and videographer at a high school in Karabash, a heavily polluted town in the Russian Urals. 

By Vafa Guliyeva