Still, Putin refrained from giving a concrete outlook on the war in Ukraine, or the path of the Russian economy going forward. He also did not mention Russia's inflation struggles

Speaking on the 25th anniversary of his rule, President Vladimir V. Putin delivered an upbeat and vague New Year’s Eve message that did not address casualties in Ukraine or rising inflation at home.

President Vladimir Putin told Russians in a New Year address that the country would move forward with confidence in 2025, though he offered no specific promises on the economy or the war in Ukraine. At a time when many ordinary people are worried about rising prices and the central bank's 21% interest rate is squeezing businesses and homebuyers,

Reuters reported that Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian government and its main bank, Sberbank, to deepen cooperation with China in AI technology. On Wednesday, January 1, a directive on this matter was published on the Kremlin's website.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government and Sberbank, a major state-owned bank, to enhance cooperation with China in the area of AI technology, according to a report by Reuters.