Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow, Russia, December 23, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he needed time to decide whether he would run for another presidential term at the next election in 2018.

“I will look at what’s going on in the country, in the world,” said Putin, calling a reporter who had asked him to provide reasons why people would want to vote for him again “a provocateur”.

The next presidential election is due to take place in March 2018.

“Taking into account what we have done, what we need to do and how, a decision will be made on whether I participate or do not participate in the upcoming elections,” said Putin.