China-Russia ties underscored in Putin's remarks

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during his year-end news conference on Thursday that Russia and China will continue to maintain a high level of economic and humanitarian cooperation, and the roles of the two countries are crucial for global stability.

Putin stated that the level of relations between Russia and China has reached unprecedented heights over the past decade, with both sides operating on the foundation of a high level of mutual trust.

"We do nothing that contradicts our interests and do a great deal that serves the interests of both the Chinese and Russian peoples," he remarked.

The president also highlighted the level of bilateral economic and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.

Putin noted that Russia and China were among the countries most affected by World War II. He mentioned that estimates in Russia suggest there were more than 27 million victims.

He emphasized, "We were together then, and we are together now," highlighting that the strong bilateral relations between Russia and China are a key factor in global stability.

The news conference included a direct question-and-answer session with the Russian people. This format, called "The Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin", has been held for the third time. This year, more than 2 million appeals from citizens were collected.

In response to questions about international relations and domestic economic issues, Putin suggested a missile "duel" with the United States to demonstrate how Russia's new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile could defeat any US missile defense system.

Addressing Western skepticism regarding the Oreshnik, Putin proposed that both sides select a designated target to be protected by US missiles, stating, "We're ready for such an experiment."

He noted that while the Oreshnik is a modern weapon, it is based on previous Russian design developments.

On the economy, Putin said on Thursday that Russia's gross domestic product is expected to grow by around 3.9 to 4 percent this year.

The Russian president said that overall, the economic situation remains stable, despite external challenges.

Putin indicated that Moscow is prepared to discuss Ukraine issue in potential talks with US President-elect Donald Trump, mentioning that Russian forces are moving toward achieving their primary goals on the battlefield.

When answering questions from US media, Putin expressed his willingness to meet with Trump, whom he stated he had not spoken to for years.

Agencies contributed to this story.