Putin Vows To Fix Russian Economy

In his annual press conference, which ran four hours, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to ease the country's economic woes by diversifying its heavy reliance on oil and gas. He also said he's confident the plummeting ruble will recover.

President Putin displayed his traditional defiant attitude toward the West, saying Russia has not been the aggressor causing relations to sour. The BBC's Sarah Rainsford joins Here & Now's Robin Young to discuss the tone of the press conference, and whether it included anything new.

Note: This BBC piece can be heard in the Here & Now podcast or the WBUR mobile app.