Kathrine Frich
Moscow officials have offered zero reasons for why Putin plans to break his own country’s law.
Every job comes with a few tasks that cannot be skipped.
Even presidents and prime ministers have to follow a set calendar and answer to the public at least once a year. In Moscow, however, the rulebook is getting ignored yet again.
Skipping the podium
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not give a state of the nation speech to the Federal Assembly in 2026, journalist Jakub Biernat reported on Sunday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision when answering a question from the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Peskov told RIA Novosti that the president has no plans to address lawmakers before the year ends. Instead, he said Putin will speak to the parliament whenever he feels the timing is right.
That marks the second year in a row the Russian leader has skipped the major event. He also stayed away from the podium throughout 2025.
In fact, Putin has not delivered the keynote address since February 29, 2024. That speech took place right before the national vote that handed him a fifth term in the Kremlin.
Breaking his own law
Under Russia’s constitution, the head of state must give the speech to the Federal Assembly every single year. Even so, Moscow officials have offered zero reasons for why Putin keeps breaking that legal duty, Biernat noted.
This is not the first time the Kremlin boss has blown past the annual deadline. Back in 2017, he skipped the yearly address and waited until March 1, 2018, so he could use the speech during his reelection campaign.
He also canceled the 2022 address after ordering the full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier that year.
One December show left
While lawmakers will not get their yearly update, the Kremlin is still planning another major media event.
According to RIA Novosti, Peskov said staff are already preparing for Putin’s year-end press marathon.
That carefully staged broadcast pairs a large news conference with a “direct line” call-in show where ordinary Russians submit questions. Officials usually hold the marathon session in December.
