ECONOMY!!!’’ (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: “With the strengthening of the rouble and the growth in the markets and some other indicators, I think that it may happen faster, but somewhere in the region of two years, it appears to me.” // ”(STARTS WITH WIDE OF PUTIN AND PRESENTER) I have told them that it is unlikely that we should expect lifting of the sanctions, because it is a purely political issue. (BACK TO PUTIN) These are strategic questions on our cooperation for some of our partners, to contain our development. And by the way, I believe it is not directly related to (OVER WIDE OF PUTIN WITH PRESENTERS) the events in Ukraine anymore. Because now it is time to fulfil Minsk agreements and we are doing everything to fulfil them and the Kiev authorities are not in a hurry to do that. But sanctions (BACK TO PUTIN) against us are still in place.” UKRAINE!!!!! (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: “To the question of whether there are or there aren’t Russian troops in Ukraine, (OVER FORMER RUSSIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVIST IRINA KHAKAMADA LISTENING) I tell you straight and clearly - there are no Russian troops in Ukraine. (PRESENTER SAYING PUTIN’S NAME OVER KHAKAMADA LISTENING, THAN PRESENTER LISTENING) By the way during the last conflict (BACK TO PUTIN) in the southeast (of Ukraine) in Donbass it was best put by the head of the Ukrainian general staff who straight and publicly said at a meeting with Western colleagues: ‘We are not at war with the Russian army’. What else can be added?” 4. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION IN PROGRESS 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: ”(OVER PUTIN AND PRESENTERS AT TABLE) So we can say that today’s Ukrainian authorities are cutting off (BACK TO PUTIN) Donbass by their own hand. This is the tragedy and the problem.” 6. PEOPLE LISTENING 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: ”(OVER PRESENTER LISTENING) There was no cutting off. Ukraine is an independent and sovereign (OVER PUTIN SPEAKING TO PRESENTER) state and this should be treated with respect. We cut it all (former Soviet republics) off ourselves in the beginning of the 90s, when we made the decision on the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. That was a step that we took. (OVER CLOSE OF PUTIN) We freed them of ourselves. We did it ourselves, it was our decision. And if (OVER PUTIN AND PRESENTERS AT TABLE) we did it ourselves then must respect their independence. (OVER PUTIN AT TABLE) This is the choice of the Ukrainian people how to build relations (with Russia)“. 8. PHOTOGRAPHER 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: “I do not differentiate at all between Ukrainians and Russians. I believe they are the same people. But some people have a different opinion. We can have discussions on that. Now may not be the right time to talk about it. But, first of all, we help people. We help Ukrainian people. This is first. (OVER PUTIN AND PRESENTERS AT TABLE) Secondly we are interested in the Ukrainian economy coming out of crisis because they are our neighbours, they are our partners (OVER CLOSE OF PUTIN) and we are interested in having peace and order on our borders and us having an opportunity to build and develop economic ties with a prosperous partner.”