If Russian President Vladimir Putin runs in the 2024 presidential election, no one will be able to compete with him, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, TASS news agency reported.

Peskov said that Putin, who was made president on the last day of 1999 by Boris Yeltsin and has dominated Russian politics ever since, has the absolute support of the Russian population.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Putin in March that he was convinced Russians would support the Kremlin chief in next year's presidential election. Putin has not yet said whether he he will seek another term. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by Gareth Jones)