MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements at the customary yearend news conference about relations with the United States and Europe reflected Moscow’s wish to negotiate and come to terms. The Russian leader’s message to the West was reserved, but optimistic and also constructive, the board chairman of the Foundation for the Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club, Andrey Bystritsky told TASS in an interview.

"Putin’s remarks addressed to the West demonstrated his reserved optimism and peacefulness. By and large he invited everybody to negotiate and to come to terms somehow," Bystritsky stated. "He said many different things. Some sounded rather harsh at times, but the way I see it, there is an expectation of something constructive. Everybody was told every clearly that certain things are impossible and too risky for Russia, and that it is not going to reconcile itself with this threat."

Bystritsky believes that the Russian leader in fact continued a discussion among the world’s leading countries about the future of international relations and underscored Russia’s concerns about its own security. The expert added that although he warned that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be impermissible for Russia, Putin put forward no ultimatums, but at the same time asked the West to stop to think. As far as the Ukrainian issue is concerned, the Russian president stressed the wish to achieve a peace settlement.

"Common sense, honesty, open and frank relations and the wish to achieve a constructive, unbiased solution is the system or coordinates the president was speaking about. I would interpret his message in this way: ‘Let’s clinch a deal’," Bystritsky said.

It was Putin’s 17th annual news conference. During the 3 hours and 56 minutes the Russian president answered 44 questions.