Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual televised phone-in with the nation in Moscow on Thursday. The marathon Q&A session has become a yearly tradition during Putin's nearly two decades in power, giving the Russian president a chance to shape narratives around pressing issues. During his phone-in with members of the Russian public, Putin said US tariffs on China, and sanctions on Russia's economy for its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, were aimed at holding both countries back. Photo: AFP