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Vladimir Putin
207 quotes
“We will chase terrorists everywhere. If in an airport, then in the airport. So if we find them in the toilet, excuse me, we'll rub them out in the outhouse. And that's it, case closed.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 1999 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Responding to a journalist's question when visiting Dagestan. (1999)
“Anyone who doesn't regret the passing of the Soviet Union has no heart, Anyone who wants it restored has no brains.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2000 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Putin Retains Soviet Discipline While Steering Toward Reform (20 February 2000)
“There is no such thing as a former KGB man.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2000 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Responding to Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin, who called himself a former KGB officer. (May 6, 2000)
“I bow my head to the victims of terrorism. I am highly impressed of the courage of New York residents. The great city and the great American nation are to win!”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2001 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Inscription at the World Trade Center Memorial Wall (15 November 2001).
“Ukraine is an independent, sovereign state and will choose its own path to peace and security. . . . Such a conversation would be entirely appropriate and entirely possible. I certainly don’t see there being anything particularly tricky here, anything that need or that could cast a shadow over relations between Russia and Ukraine.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2002 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: About Ukraine seeking membership in Nato, after the Nato–Russia Council was created at the Nato summit in Rome, May 28, 2002, quoted in "Russia Must Also Hit the Reset Button", Atlantic Council, 1 April 2009
“Russia does not have in its possession any trustworthy data that supports the existence of nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and we have not received any such information from our partners as yet.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2002 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: News conference with then British Prime Minister Tony Blair, October 2002.
“If you are determined to become a complete Islamic radical and are ready to undergo circumcision, then I invite you to Moscow. We are multi-confessional. We have experts in this sphere as well. I will recommend to conduct the operation so that nothing on you will grow again.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2002 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Commenting to a journalist from Le Monde after a summit meeting with leaders from the European Union (11 November 2002), as cited in "Why Putin Boils Over: Chechnya Is His Personal War", The New York Times (13 November …
“Two weeks later they still have not been found. The question is, where is Saddam Hussein? Where are those weapons of mass destruction, if they were ever in existence? Is Saddam Hussein in a bunker sitting on cases containing weapons of mass destruction, preparing to blow the whole place up?”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2003 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In a Press conference, regarding the weapon of mass destruction of Iraq. (May 1, 2003)
“Надо исполнять закон всегда, а не только тогда, когда схватили за одно место.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2003 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview, 4 November 2003
“Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace? You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers? No one has a moral right to tell us to talk to childkillers.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In response to those who called Putin to enter talks with Chechen separatists after the Beslan school hostage crisis, in September 2004
“Понятно, что надо больше платить, это самый простой вариант, не всегда возможный,(но простой) но способов решения проблемы много”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On human capital flight, in address to Committee for Education, Science and Technology (26 October 2004).
“The democratic choice Russian people made in the early 90's is final.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview in Brazil for space talks, (22 November 2004).
“It's extremely dangerous trying to resolve political problems outside the framework of the law — first the ‘Rose Revolution', then they'll think up something like blue. [word play here: "rose" having the colloquial sense of "lesbian" in modern Russian, and "blue" meaning "gay"]”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the "" in Ukraine and the "" in Georgia, News conference, (23 December 2004).
“Above all, we should acknowledge that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century. As for the Russian nation, it became a genuine drama. Tens of millions of our co-citizens and compatriots found themselves outside Russian territory. Moreover, the epidemic of disintegration infected Russia itself.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People in Russia say that those who do not regret the collapse of the Soviet Union have no heart, and those that do regret it have no brain. We do not regret this, we simply state the fact and know that we need to look ahead, not backwards. We will not allow the past to drag us down and stop us from moving ahead. We understand where we should move. But we must act based on a clear understanding of what happened..”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with German television channel ARD and ZDF, May 2005. Kremlin, RU, (May 2005)
“But if the U.S. were to leave and abandon Iraq without establishing the grounds for a united and sovereign country, that would definitely be a second mistake.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: CBS News (May 2005)
“Russia does not want confrontation of any kind. And we will not take part in any kind of "holy alliance".”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kremlin RU (27 June 2006)
“I stress that we unambiguously support strengthening the non-proliferation regime, without any exceptions, on the basis of international law.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kremlin RU (10 May 2006)
“We have spoken on many occasions of the need to achieve high economic growth as an absolute priority for our country. The annual address for 2003 set for the first time the goal of doubling gross domestic product within a decade.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Annual Address to the Federal Assembly, (May 2006)
“Russia must realise its full potential in high-tech sectors such as modern energy technology, transport and communications, space and aircraft building.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Annual Address to the Federal Assembly, (10 May 2006)
“In 2008, I will join the opposition and criticise the government.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 17 June 2006, in interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda № 87 (23724) 2006
“He raped 10 women. I never expected it from him. He surprised all of us.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: NewsRu (19 Oct 2006)
“I see that not everyone in the West has understood that the Soviet Union has disappeared from the political map of the world and that a new country has emerged with new humanist and ideological principles at the foundation of its existence.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: interview with TF-1 Television Channel (France), taken on July 12, 2006
“Just as one must respect our interests since almost 17 million ethnic Russians live in Ukraine and half of all Ukrainian families have ties with the Russian Federation.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: interview with German ZDF TV, July 13, 2006.
“We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy that they have in Iraq, quite honestly.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: July 17, 2006, during the St. Petersburg Group of Eight summit Putin said in reply to George W. Bush, who said he hopes Russia will follow Iraq in turning to democracy
“There is no, and there can be no, justification for a crime of such cynicism and monstrosity. The terrorists guilty of this crime must be severely punished.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: July 2006, on the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, quoted in Mumbai bombs: Reaction in quotes
“If there is no possibility or, to put it in plain terms, if there is no money... What can you do? You can't go to a store, you can't buy anything, either a cannon, or a missile, or a medicine. For this reason the economy is at the basis of everything. In the beginning it was Karl Marx and then Freud and others...”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: During a meeting with representatives of the Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, May 13. 2006
“Their [U.S.] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia's. This is what in defense is referred to as "their home — their fortress". And good for them, I say. Well done!”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the United States 2006 annual address to the Federal Assembly
“Товарищ волк знает, кого кушать. Кушает, и никого не слушает, и слушать, судя по всему, не собирается.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the U.S., whose military budget is 25 times bigger than Russia's; annual presidential address to the Federal Senate, 10 May 2006
“But this means that we also need to build our home and make it strong and well protected. We see, after all, what is going on in the world. "The Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat, as the saying goes. It knows whom to eat and is not about to listen to anyone, it seems.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal affairs.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Putin attacks 'foreign meddlers' 26 April 2007
“We still have a great amount of work to do in social development, including resolving one of the biggest challenges we face in this area, namely, reducing the gap between high-income earners and people, citizens of our country, who are still living on very modest means indeed. But we cannot, of course, adopt the solution used 80 years ago and simply confiscate the riches of some to redistribute among others. We will use completely different means to resolve this problem, namely, we will ensure good economic growth.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People are always teaching us democracy but the people who teach us democracy don't want to learn it themselves.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: MUNICH, February 10, 2007.
“После смерти Махатмы Ганди поговорить не с кем.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Responding to a question "Former Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder called you a 'pure democrat'. Do you consider yourself such?" June 4, 2007,
“According to the statistics, up to 17 million ethnic Russians live in Ukraine, while some four million Ukrainians live in Russia, whether permanently or temporarily.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Live with President Vladimir Putin, October 18, 2007.
“Of Ukraine’s 45 million people, 17 million are ethnic Russians, and this is only according to official statistics. Almost 100 percent of people there consider Russian their native language, well, 80 percent perhaps.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Time Magazine, December 19, 2007.
“There are 17 million ethnic Russians there, officially. Almost 100% of the people consider Russian as their mother tongue.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Time Magazine, December 19, 2007.
“Russia doesn't negotiate with terrorists. It destroys them.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: (January 29, 2008)
“Don't you know that Ukraine is not even a real country? Part of it is really East European, and part is really Russian.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In a meeting with US Ambassador William J. Burns at Novo-Ogaryovo, March 2008 (William J. Burns 2019, The Back Channel, P. 238)
“You do understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a state. What is Ukraine? Part of its territories is Eastern Europe, but the greater part is a gift from us. (Ты же понимаешь, Джордж, что Украина — это даже не государство! Что такое Украина? Часть ее территорий — это Восточная Европа, а часть, и значительная, подарена нами!)”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking to George W. Bush at the NATO Bucharest Summit, April 4, 2008.Originally [http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/877224 reported in Kommersant.ru based on an unidentified source.
“At least the state figure should have a head.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In response to Hillary Clinton's comment that Putin has 'no soul'. (May 7, 2008)
“I have worked like a galley slave throughout these eight years, morning till night, and I have given all I could to this work. I am happy with the results.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in 15 May 2008 article The Truth About Putin and Medvedev, last annual press conference.
“I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls," [Mr Putin] said. "Hang him?," asked Mr Sarkozy. "Why not?," retorted Mr Putin. "The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein." Mr Sarkozy replied: "Yes but do you want to end up like Bush?" Briefly lost for words, the Russian leader agreed: "Ah, you have scored a point there.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Conversation (12 August 2008) overheard by Jean-David Levitte, an adviser to the then French president, interviewed in Le Nouvel Observateur magazine, as cited in "Vladimir Putin threatened to hang Georgia leader 'by th…
“I want Saakashvili's head.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "An American Friend", The New York Times (19 October 2008)
“They [Georgian military forces] launched their attacks at 23:30 [on August 7]. I learned about it the following morning. I spoke to Bush. He said 'No one wants war.' We expected something would happen, I met him again at the stadium. I can't tell you in detail the content of the conversation, but I had the feeling that his administration wouldn't do anything about stopping the conflict, It's a court which makes a king. Maybe the court thought the king shouldn't intervene.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking to western journalists and academics in Sochi for the first time since the Georgia crisis began. (September 2008)
“Enemies are right in front of you, you are at war with them, then you make an armistice with them, and all is clear. A traitor must be destroyed, crushed.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2001 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In 2001, speaking to journalist Aleksoi Venediktov, to whom he added “You know, Aleksei, you are not a traitor. You are an enemy.” David Remnick, “Echo in the Dark,” in The New Yorker, September 22, 2008.
“But why only by one part?”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Question and Answer session broadcast for Russian television (4 December 2008), as cited in "Russia's Putin had painful plans for Georgian leader", Reuters (4 December 2008)
“[Anton Denikin, in his diary] “has a discussion there about Great and Little Russia, Ukraine. He says that no one should be allowed to interfere in relations between us; this has always been only Russia’s business.” (Обязательно прочитайте! Там у него есть рассуждения о большой и малой России, Украине. Он говорит, что никому не должно быть позволено вмешиваться в отношения между нами, это всегда было делом самой России!)”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On laying a wreath at Denikin’s grave in Moscow, May 24, 2009. James Marson, “Putin to the West: Hands off Ukraine” in Time Magazine, May 25, 2009.
“Russia has always respected the bravery and heroism of the Polish people, soldiers and officers, who stood up first against Nazism in 1939.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II, 1 September 2009
“In order to preserve a balance, while we aren't planning to build a missile defence of our own, as it's very expensive and its efficiency is not quite clear yet, we have to develop offensive strike systems. They [U.S.] should give us all the information about the missile defence, and we will be ready then to provide some information about offensive weapons.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Putin said that arms control talks between Moscow and Washington were proceeding in a positive way. (December 2009)