Steve Rosenberg, the Russia editor for BBC News, shared the photo below of him at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s end-of-the-year press conference. He is holding his CNN placard, which when raised indicates a request to ask a question. He reports: “Four hours. No questions.”
Four hours. No question. #Putinpressconference pic.twitter.com/CVQ4bQxuLk
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) December 14, 2023
Francis Scarr of BBC Monitoring, “which watches Russian state TV so you don’t have to,” shared the video below of Russian state TV criticizing representatives from the West at the press conference — including Rosenberg “who didn’t ask a question.”
Scarr captioned the video: “And now the predictable sneering on Russian state TV.”
And now the predictable sneering on Russian state TV https://t.co/3SQkKFrffL pic.twitter.com/YvanldT3kA
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) December 14, 2023
What Scarr calls the “sneering” Russian TV critics spoke mostly about The New York Times reporter Valerie Hopkins, who expressed — in Russian — gratitude that Western journalists had been granted access to the conference, but then, as the Russians said, “complained that not everyone was allowed to attend” such press conferences for nearly a year.
When Hopkins asked Putin directly that she be able to ask a question, Putin responded, “I’m an open-minded person with democratic views,” which was followed by laughter.
The Russian critics, assessing the presser, portrayed Russia as more transparent than the West, alleging how Putin allowed the Western press “to ask any question they want” while arguing that Russian journalists don’t enjoy the same opportunity in America with President Biden.
When Hopkins asked Putin when he’ll release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being held in a Russian prison on espionage charges, Putin said Russia and the U.S. are in talks about an exchange.
Asked by @VALERIEinNYT when he'll release WSJ's Evan Gershkovich, held in Russian prison on absurd espionage charges, Putin says Russia and the US are in talks about an exchange.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) December 14, 2023
"We are ready to return US citizens, but the conditions need to be mutually acceptable," he says. pic.twitter.com/8egnOgiCTZ
Max Seedon, Moscow Bureau Chief of The Financial Times, is circulating the video above of Putin’s response which reportedly included the statement: “We are ready to return US citizens, but the conditions need to be mutually acceptable.”
