A question about the United States: A man asks why Putin met with Biden at a summit in Geneva on June 16 when -- according to the questioner, who suggested that Biden does not have the power to change things -- sanctions and criticism followed quickly despite statements from officials that it was constructive meeting.
Putin says that the "period of the unipolar world," of U.S. hegemony, is over. Says other countries are gaining on the United States in terms of GDP; mentions China. "The world is changing in a fundamental way." Says the United States understands that, hence the summit, but wants to maintain dominance; hence the sanctions and such.
As he has very often, he blames the poor state of relations on Washington. Essentially, he is asserting that the United States understands it must take Russia into account and that relations will improve when the United States realizes what he implies is its diminished position. At the same time, he plays down the idea of hitting the United States with sanctions, which he suggests could end up hurting Russia's economy, but says that Russia can hit back in "asymmetrical" ways and will do so as it sees fit. This answer seems largely aimed to assure Russians that he made no compromises in meeting with Biden and that Russia can hold its own in competition and diplomacy with the United States.
- By Mike Eckel
Putin has been in power essentially since 1999, when he was plucked from relative obscurity from then-President Boris Yeltsin to be prime minister, then leaping into the presidency when Yeltsin abruptly resigned on New Year's Eve.
A question from Krasnodar asked Putin about that transition, and about his own eventual transfer from power.
(This is arguably the most important question afflicting Russia these days: whether Putin will seek to stay in power for another two terms after 2024, or whether he will essentially anoint a successor like Yeltsin did for him in 1999).
Putin gently corrects the man's question, saying that Yeltsin did not "hand over" power to Putin, and then the Russian people eventually elected him as president.
Still, if people were hoping for clarity today on Putin's political intentions, he did not give them in his answer to the question from Krasnodar.
When the time comes, Putin said he will indicate who he thinks will be a worthy successor.
In other words, not now.
Putin plugs a plan to enable young people to go to cultural events -- museums, concerts, even the Bolshoi Theater, he says -- by giving them cards with credit that they can use for entry prices and tickets. Putin has frequently lauded Russian culture and its rich history; this seems like part of a broader drive to instill patriotism in young Russians. This drive is often linked to history and military issues; this effort focuses on Russia's rich cultural heritage.
- By Mike Eckel
Svetlana, a middle-aged woman from the Siberian region of Tyumen (again), pleads with Putin for help with finding work.
In response to Svetlana (and those Russians paying attention), Putin argues that the government is doing its utmost to restore Russia's economy to its pre-pandemic status, when it was growing at a modest clip.
Experts have warned that the next shock to Russia's economy is more likely to come from its struggling regions than from external factors such as Western sanctions or low oil prices.
They've also warned that the government has failed to invest enough in its regions, whose health-care systems are now overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, adding to citizens' frustration with the government.
One of the Direct Line presenters sitting with Putin says connectivity problems with a caller are due to "powerful DDoS attacks" on the show's systems. The other presenter says that "everyone speaks of Russian hackers," to which Putin jokingly replies that it turns out other hackers exist.
On the issue of schools, a woman in the Siberian city of Novokuznetsk says officials are threatening that she will be deprived of custody of her grandchild for appealing to Putin over problems at a school.
Putin says this will not happen and that anyone making such threats should be the one worrying and demands a report from the region. Putin acting tough in regards to regional and local officials -- again, part of the apparent purpose of the Direct Line: to show that Putin is the ultimate arbiter and protector of the people.
Another question about dilapidated schools, from a small town in the Russian Far East: A teacher says the main school building is very old and in very bad shape, a wall collapsed -- and homes are also in bad shape. And "the roads are another story altogether...in short, we have very many problems and we would like attention to be paid to us."
Putin focuses on the school, saying that here are over 1,000 schools that need to be replaced and tens of thousands that need repairs. He says that money is being allocated and she should appeal to the authorities: "We will definitely help you." This appears to be an effort to promote a specific spending program and assure people that they will get the money they need.
- By Mike Eckel
Another video question arrives from a man (with six women standing behind him) from the Siberian region of Tyumen: high communal residential fees, which Russian households pay for things like water, sewer, or trash removal.
Putin appears to express concern, if not outrage, that the man is paying unusually high rates.
"Absolutely, we will sort it out," Putin says.
Putin's answer is followed by the most original submission (up to now) to the Direct Line program: a short musical video, similar to a TikTok video, showing the bad shape of plumbing pipes in an apartment building in Pskov (northwest of Moscow).
In a short conversation with the author of the video, identified as Andrei Vladimirovich, Putin makes a plug for one of his National Project projects: billions of rubles in new spending for basic infrastructure like roofs for schools and replacing sewer and plumbing in apartment buildings.
(The National Projects-- a massive $400 billion spending plan -- were announced at the start of Putin's second six-year term in 2018, aiming to boost living standards by 2024 with a focus on 13 policy areas, such as health care, education, and infrastructure. Results to date have been uneven.)