MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 17, 2015) (RUSSIAN POOL - ACCESS ALL) 1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, AT ANNUAL NEWS CONFERENCE 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: “We never closed off. No matter whom the American people elect... It is them who always try to prompt us what we should do in our country, whom to elect or not to elect. We never do this, we do not interfere with them. Besides, it is dangerous. They say that prosecutor there, if an international observer comes closer than five metres to people queuing at a polling station, he or she will be sent to prison. We are not doing even that, right? We are open. We are ready to work with any president, for whom the American people will vote.” 3. MEDIA 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: ”(QUESTION OFF CAMERA (Russian): WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DONALD TRUMP? “He (Donald Trump) is a very flamboyant man, very talented, no doubt about that. But this is not up to us to decide if he is worthy, it is up to the voters in the United States. He is an absolute leader of the presidential race, as we see it today. He says that he wants to move to another level of relations, to a closer, deeper level of relations with Russia. How can we not welcome that? Of course we welcome it. All that concerns internal politics, his wording, moves he uses to boost his popularity, I repeat, it is not our business to judge this work of his.”