The Russian president fielded questions on Ukraine, strategic partnerships, new weapons systems, the Middle East, and Moscow’s relations with the West
00:07
The day was dominated by Putin's SPIEF address and his reaction to Zelensky's open letter. State-aligned outlets led with Putin calling the letter 'rude' and seeing no point in meeting, while also touting his claims of economic resilience and military advances. Independent media highlighted the US Congress passing 500% tariffs on Russian goods and a Ukrainian drone attack on cargo ships in the Azov Sea that killed five Azerbaijani sailors. By evening, editors focused on Putin's refusal to engage with Zelensky and his order to delay tax hikes for small businesses, while The Moscow Times noted cracks in the economy at the forum.