Putin Skips Annual News Conference as His War in Ukraine Falters
- President drops December meeting for first time in a decade
- Putin also hasn’t held annual call-in with Russians this year
A resident watches Vladimir Putin delivering his annual address.
Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Vladimir Putin is dropping his annual marathon press conference for the first time in a decade, as his forces continue to stumble in their war in Ukraine.
“There won’t be one before New Year,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Monday, without explanation, in response to a question about the event. The president would try to “find an opportunity” instead to talk to journalists, Peskov said.