Putin is giving his annual several hours long press conference on December 18 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (tonight at 1:00 a.m. PST/4:00 a.m. ET). The Kremlin says it expects much of the press conference to be devoted to the Russian economy. Short description.
- Live stream link will be on Sputnik: http://sputniknews.com (not sure if there will English translation)
- English transcript (usually 5+ hours delay): http://eng.kremlin.ru/transcripts
- Russian transcript (usually almost immediate): http://kremlin.ru/transcripts
Putin's statements may have significant effects on the Ruble. My opinion: Look for rhetoric regarding the conflict in East Ukraine and Russia's relationship with the west. If there is a hint of a conciliatory tone, that would be a good thing.