Of course, there are many questions about the upcoming Russian presidential election. This time a record number of candidates will run for the presidency.
Vladimir Sungorkin: “This year, we will have, I think, a record number of those who wish to lead our dear mother Russia. What are your thoughts on a large number of potential candidates? Do they motivate you, or just the opposite?”
Vladimir Putin: "I think it is normal and good. To some degree, the pre-election period always stresses out the community because, there is also a lot of “foam” bubbling up, but still it is good because it gives people a chance and a reason to speak out, to discuss the problems in the country, of different approaches to solve them. In general, I think it’s useful. It keeps the discussion fresh and sharpens it, the main thing is to do it in compliance with the law, as well as certain ethical and moral values".
Journalists noted that many people who wanted to run for the presidency were denied by the Central Election Commission because they don't meet the requirements under the law. However, only one name, Navalny, provoked a backlash in Washington and Europe.
Vladimir Putin: "For some reason others were not announced. This seems to reveal the US administration and other nations’ preferences regarding who they would like to promote in Russia’s politics and who they would like to see among the country’s leadership, if not the leader. And apparently, these are the people they count on, they rely on. And in this case, they gave themselves away, they would have done better if they had kept silent.
The key thing is not who was allowed to run and who was not because this is standard practice. The key thing is to understand and to respect the law inside the country. To understand that any violation of the law, no matter who it is committed by, is unacceptable. Including during the election campaign".
A major issue is, of course, Russia-US relations. Have they already hit the bottom? Putin repeated his attitude towards allegations of Russia's interference in the US election.
Vladimir Putin: "It's a nonsense. It is absolutely ridiculous. There was no collusion and no interference on our part. If they finally realize that the United States itself is interested in improving the Russia-US relations, that it meets their national interests, then the situation will normalize and our relations will develop.
But until they realize this they will probably keep playing the Russian card in their political infighting and this will further damage our bilateral relations, they will continue to deteriorate".
