Putin says rule limiting him to two consecutive terms as president ‘can be abolished’

Vladimir Putin has suggested a constitutional rule limiting the number of consecutive presidential terms may be scrapped – potentially paving a way to him staying on in post. But confusion remained about what exactly he meant by the comments, with others suggesting it was in fact a signal he would be leaving at the end of his current term.

According to the Russian constitution, the president is obliged to leave his post at the end of two successive terms. That would mean the longtime leader leaving in 2024.

Over the last few years, Moscow has speculated about the manoeuvres he may take to get around this restriction: a repeat of the switch he carried out with Dmitry Medvedev in 2008; a new role, perhaps as head of an overarching security council; even as head of a new unified state with Belarus.

Download the new Indpendent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

This was the first time that he suggested that the clause itself could be amended, or removed.

"Your humble servant completed two terms, then left the post and had the constitutional right to return to the post of president," he said. "Because it wasn't two successive terms. Some of our experts, public figures were bothered by that [clause]. We could, of course, remove it."

The remarks, which were made in the course of his traditional annual press conference, seemed to be deliberately ambiguous. They could be interpreted in one of two ways: either removing the clause, or removing the consecutive part, and therefore potentially standing down in 2024.

Margarita Simonyan, the uber-loyal editor of Kremlin-funded RT, said the comments should be interpreted as a signal that the president would not be seeking re-election. "If anyone doubted whether the Boss was going for another presidential term... he won't."

Konstantin Gaaze, a commentator and former government advisor agreed. Mr Putin had offered a "clear indication" that he did not intend to carry on as president past 2024, he said.

"Having talked about consecutive terms, it would be impossible for him in 2023 to turn around and say that he's staying," he told The Independent.

Mr Putin's annual press marathon, now in its 15th instalment, is the president’s annual opportunity to portray himself as a wise, radical, world leader.

Over the years, his conferences have grown in scope: both in duration and the number of journalists attending.

Independent news email Only the best news in your inbox Enter your email address Continue Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email already exists. Log in to update your newsletter preferences Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email Update newsletter preferences

In its first outing, the show lasted a mere one and a half hours. Since 2004, it’s been three hours at a minimum. Today’s event lasted nearly four and a half hours, with a record 1895 journalists accredited.

Reducing the country's press corps to squealing in a battle for attention, the show plays into an image of a leader taking control. Officially, no question is off-limits. In reality, the Kremlin keeps a tight grip on the narrative. Some of the questions are obviously vetted. Others are fielded from a largely obliging group of provincial press corps, thrilled for the chance to air regional issues.

Occasionally, however, a sharp question finds its way through. This year, that honour fell to a BBC Russian journalist, who asked the president to comment on the business dealings and state contracts of his two adult daughters. It appeared that Mr Putin's press secretary had been tricked by the journalist's sign, which read "family." Mr Putin, who has refused to confirm the has any daughters, became visibly angry. He sidestepped the question and told the journalist to do better work.

As with previous years, the Russian president offered his compatriots a bright new future — with giant leaps forward in education, medicine and science. There was even a hint that New Year’s Eve may be made a national holiday.

As with previous years, it was also a moment to shake a fist at the rest of the world — intent on denying Russians that future.

Moscow's increasing problems on the international arena were the result of it becoming a force to be reckoned with, the president said. Sanctions against Russia were "politically-motivated." The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) decision to ban Russian sportsmen from competing over doping was an “unjust” decision that “flew in the face of common sense.”

On Ukraine, the Russian president said he would not alter his conditions for peace. There would be no revisiting of the Minsk-II peace deal signed in February 2015, he said. Many aspects of the agreement, signed while thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were trapped behind enemy lines, remain politically toxic in Kiev. Mr Putin, who understands this, nonetheless doubled down on the most controversial of the agreement's provisions: a constitutional change reflecting a “special status” for the conflict zone. This is a red line for the Ukrainians who fear it may be used to ferment instability elsewhere in the country.

"We keep saying that we need to fix the special status in the constitution,” Mr Putin said.

Later, Mr Putin rejected the very federal model he demanded of Ukraine. History showed they do not work in Russia, he said. He criticised Vladimir Lenin, who, he said "undermined the central command ... and laid the groundwork for the country to begin falling apart."

The Russian president had more time for Stalin, however — the European Parliament was “wrong to equate Stalinism with Totalitarianism” — and for Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s volatile head of state accused of masterminding the deaths and torture of hundreds of gay men. Mr Kadyrov deserved to be honoured as a “Russian hero,” he said — and this despite fighting Russian soldiers in the Chechen wars.

As for his own historical legacy, which now may or may not be extended past 2024, Mr Putin refused to be drawn. It was not something he thought about, he insisted.

“I’ll leave it to the next generation to decide,” he said.