Russian president praises success in Syria, affirms readiness for meeting with Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed two major topics during his annual direct line, commenting on Russia’s achievements in Syria and his readiness for a potential meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump.

Regarding Syria, Putin firmly stated that Russia had largely accomplished its goals in the country, despite Western attempts to frame Russia’s involvement as a failure, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"We came to Syria to prevent the creation of a terrorist enclave, like in Afghanistan," Putin explained in response to a question from an NBC journalist.

"On the whole, we have achieved our goal." He pointed out that even groups previously opposed to the Syrian government have undergone changes, with many countries now seeking to establish relations with them. This, Putin argued, indicates that Russia’s objectives have been met to a significant extent.

Shifting to relations with the United States, Putin expressed his openness to meeting with President-elect Donald Trump, although he acknowledged it had been more than four years since they last spoke. "I am ready to meet with him, but I cannot say when that might happen," Putin said.

He also responded to a journalist’s claim that Russia had weakened over the years, countering that Russia had grown much stronger in the last 2-3 years. "We are becoming a truly sovereign country, no longer dependent on anyone," he asserted, underlining Russia's strengthened position on the global stage.

By Vafa Guliyeva