Good morning. There are no problems in Russia – and even if there are, Vladimir Putin is the only man who can fix them. That was the overwhelming message of Putin’s four hour press conference yesterday, when the traditionally annual event returned for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine.
If the tenor of the pre-vetted questions from the Russian media and public was overwhelmingly supportive of the “special military operation”, that is hardly surprising. But the fact that the event took place at all is an indication that Putin is feeling stronger and more secure than at any point since the war began. On the war, the economy, and his prospects for another six-year term in office, Putin’s confidence was unmistakable – and a sign of his growing belief that he can outlast Ukraine’s western allies. That feeling may have been bolstered this morning when his Hungarian ally Viktor Orban blocked £43bn in new EU aid for Ukraine hours after an agreement to open talks on EU accession.
