MOSCOW — Following are some of the key quotes from Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in and press conference.

On his 25 years in power

"Yes, I think that I did more than just safeguard [Russia]. I think that we have moved back from the edge of the abyss, because everything that happened to Russia before and after was leading us to a complete and total loss of our sovereignty. And without sovereignty, Russia cannot exist as an independent state...

I have done everything to ensure that Russia is an independent and sovereign power that is able to make decisions in its own interests, and not in the interests of those countries that were dragging it towards themselves, patting it on the shoulder, in order to use it for their own purposes."

On Syria

"We maintain relations with all the groups that control the situation there, with all the countries in the region. The overwhelming majority of them tell us that they would be interested in our military bases remaining in Syria...

Related

---