VELIKY NOVGOROD, September 21. /TASS/: The Direct Line with Russian President Vladimir Putin may take place in some format before the end of the year, but its exact date has still not been set, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"No, not yet. We expect to have it in some format by the end of the year," he said when asked about the prospects of holding the traditional Direct Line question-and-answer session.
The Direct Line gives regular Russian people the chance to talk to the president, as he answers citizens' questions live on air for several hours. The first Q&A session was held back in 2001. Direct lines have been held every year since then, except for 2004 and 2012. In 2020, elements of the Direct Line program were included in Putin’s traditional big press conference. In 2021, the Direct Line with Putin was held on June 30, while in 2022 there was no question-and-answer session.
