Putin gives annual press conference via video

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he hopes some problems between Russia and the United States will be solved under the new Biden administration.

Putin made the remarks during his annual conference in Moscow. The Russian president, who didn't congratulate President-elect Joe Biden until Biden received Electoral College confirmation on Tuesday, spoke on his expectations for relations with the United States under a new administration.

"We presume the newly elected US president will understand what is going on. He is a person who has experience in both domestic and foreign policy. We expect all problems which emerged, or at least some of them, will be ironed out under the new administration," he said.

Putin's customary year-end press conference was slightly different from previous years. Amid pandemic restrictions, the event was held online.

Putin answered questions from his suburban Moscow residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, and journalists from state, foreign and regional media posed their queries over video link from one of six centers all over the country. Putin also took a handful of questions from ordinary Russians.

Speaking to journalists via video link, Putin also fielded questions on the economy and the pandemic.

Unemployment in Russia has risen to 6.3 percent, Putin said, adding Russa's GDP contraction equals 3.6 percent, which is "less than in all leading European countries and the US".

Meanwhile, Russia's industrial production slipped 3 percent mainly due to the oil price, he added. "Due to the OPEC+ deal, we have cut production, which affected Russia's total results," Putin explained.

In the meantime, the real income in Russia would fall around 3 percent in 2020 as a consequence of the pandemic, Putin said.

"It was said no healthcare system in the world was prepared for the pandemic, but Russia fared adequately," Putin said, adding Russia in some ways is faring better than other states.

According to the president, Russia managed to win some time in order to fight the infection thanks to a swift reaction at the very beginning of the pandemic. "We reacted at once at the border and won time in order to begin active preparation for the moment when it came to us in scale."

For Putin, the year 2020 cannot be called bad. "It's like weather. Is there good or bad weather? It's just weather. And it's the same with the year. There are pros and cons, like in life."

Putin hailed the effectiveness of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, claiming its protection level has reached 96 to 97 percent.

Asked if he's been vaccinated, Putin, 68, said he hasn't because it's not recommended for people over 60. But, he added, he will "definitely get vaccinated as soon as it becomes possible".

Video by Ren Qi