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Vladimir Putin

207 quotes

“Wagner PMC does not exist. We do not have a law for private military organizations. It simply does not exist.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is no such legal entity.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment (13 July 2023) quoted in "Wagner ‘does not exist’: Why Putin claims a rift in the mercenary group", CNN (14 July 2023)
“Western curators have put a person at the head of modern Ukraine - an ethnic Jew, with Jewish roots, with Jewish origins. And thus, in my opinion, they seem to be covering up an anti-human essence that is the foundation... of the modern Ukrainian state. And this makes the whole situation extremely disgusting, in that an ethnic Jew is covering up the glorification of Nazism and covering up those who led the Holocaust in Ukraine at one time - and this is the extermination of one and a half million people.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In an appearance on Russian television (5 September 2023), as quoted in "Putin claims Zelensky was put in office by the West to 'cover up glorification of Nazism'", The Jewish Chronicle (6 September 2023).
“It is not right to do anything in foreign policy that harms the interests of other peoples.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 1956 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Said about the Soviet Union sending tanks into Budapest in 1956 and into Prague in 1968, as quoted in "Putin: sending Soviet tanks into Hungary and Czechoslovakia was a mistake", Reuters (12 September 2023)
“We did not start the so-called war in Ukraine. On the contrary - we are trying to finish it.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Claimed without providing evidence, at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, as cited in "Vladimir Putin: West has lost touch with reality, Russia pushing back", The Jerusalem Post (Reuters, 5 October 2023)
“The terrifying events happening right now in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of totally innocent people are being killed without differentiation, unable to flee, cannot be justified in any way.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: What antisemitic attacks in Dagestan say about Vladimir Putin’s Russia", Financial Times (30 October 2023) (No details or proof were given regarding the claim about "hundreds of thousands" that are "being killed")
“[About the death of Henry Kissinger ] An outstanding diplomat, a wise and far-sighted statesman who enjoyed well-deserved respect around the world for decades, has passed away.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There will be peace when we will achieve our goals.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Said in annual Q&A session, quoted in "Putin says there will be no peace in Ukraine until Russia’s goals, still unchanged, are achieved", AP News (14 December 2023)
“What kind of negotiations can we talk about with people who indiscriminately strike civilians, civilian infrastructure and try to endanger nuclear power facilities?”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Putin: It makes no sense to talk to those who strike civilians", Pravdareport (August 12, 2024)
“No one seems to consider whether Europeans want to jeopardise their relationship with China by getting involved in Asian affairs through NATO, creating a situation that raises concerns among regional countries, including China. I can assure you that they do not want this. Yet, they are being pulled into this, like small dogs on a leash pulled by a big fellow.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Let me remind you once again: back in 2014, the Western countries led by the US organised, or at least supported, a coup d'etat. This is what sparked the crisis. Then, NATO has been pushed into it for many years. This is how the crisis began. And the war began in 2014, too, because they launched armed actions involving armed forces against people who didn’t accept the coup. So the war broke out in 2014.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Meeting with journalists from BRICS countries (en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/75349)", Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region (October 18, 2024)
“[About Ukrainians] They will not exist for a month if the money and, in a broad sense, run out. Everything would be over in a month or two.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Putin Refuses Talks With 'Illegitimate' Zelensky, Threatens Kyiv | 'It Won't Exist If West's..., Times of India (January 28, 2025)
“If (Zelensky) wants to participate in the negotiations, I will allocate people to take part in the negotiations. [He is] an illegitimate [leader]. If there is a desire to negotiate and find a compromise, let anyone lead the negotiations there... Naturally, we will strive for what suits us, what corresponds to our interests.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Putin says talks with Ukraine possible, but not with 'illegitimate' Zelensky, The Peninsula (January 28, 2025)
“Russians and Ukrainians are one people. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours. There’s an old rule that wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that’s ours.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now we are forced to create a security zone along the border. We're not planning to take Sumy. But I do not rule it out.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: ‘Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that’s ours,’ Vladimir Putin declares" Meduza (June 22, 2025)
“About the possibility of having peacekeeping troops from Western countries stationed in Ukraine:”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We are all going through everything that’s happening in the Ukrainian direction right now. But how did it all start? With Ukraine’s attempt to join the EU.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2026 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Putin says Armenia EU membership referendum would be 'logical'" Euractiv (May 10, 2026)
“Recently—I won’t give an exact figure for the number of settlements, as I’m afraid of getting it wrong—but the Russian army has brought approximately 2’440’000 square kilometres [in Ukraine] under its control.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2026 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ukraine's territory in its internationally recognized borders is 603'600 km2 Путин заявил, что захватил «две тысячи четыреста сорок тысяч квадратных километров» Украины. Это в 4 раза больше всей ее территории, The Mosco…
“Russia has made its choice in favor of democracy. Fourteen years ago, independently, without any pressure from outside, it made that decision in the interests of itself and interests of its people — of its citizens. This is our final choice, and we have no way back. There can be no return to what we used to have before. And the guarantee for this is the choice of the Russian people, themselves. No, guarantees from outside cannot be provided. This is impossible. It would be impossible for Russia today. Any kind of turn towards totalitarianism for Russia would be impossible, due to the condition of the Russian society.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Joint press conference with President George Bush in 2005, Slovakia
“I will recall once more Russia's most recent history. 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. Individual savings were depreciated, and old ideals destroyed. Many institutions were disbanded or reformed carelessly. Terrorist intervention and the Khasavyurt capitulation that followed damaged the country's integrity. Oligarchic groups — possessing absolute control over information channels — served exclusively their own corporate interests. Mass poverty began to be seen as the norm. And all this was happening against the backdrop of a dramatic economic downturn, unstable finances, and the paralysis of the social sphere. Many thought or seemed to think at the time that our young democracy was not a continuation of Russian statehood, but its ultimate collapse, the prolonged agony of the Soviet system. But they were mistaken. That was precisely the period when the significant developments took place in Russia. Our society was generating not only the energy of self-preservation, but also the will for a new and free life.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kremlin RU, (25 April 2005)
“I realise that 2008 will be an important test for Russia, and not an easy one. At the same time, the Constitution of the Russian Federation states that the President, the head of state, is elected for four years through direct secret ballot and cannot stay in office for more than two consecutive terms. I am not indifferent of course to the question of who will take in their hands the destiny of the country I have devoted my life to serving. But if each successive head of state were to change the Constitution to suit them, we would soon find ourselves without a state at all. I think that Russia's different political forces are sufficiently mature to realise their responsibility to the people of the Russian Federation. In any case, the person who receives the votes of the majority of Russian citizens will become the President of the country.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think it is obvious that NATO expansion does not have any relation with the modernization of the alliance itself or with ensuring security in Europe. On the contrary, it represents a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust. And we have the right to ask: against whom is this expansion intended? And what happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact? Where are those declarations today? No one even remembers them. But I will allow myself to remind this audience what was said. I would like to quote the speech of NATO General Secretary Mr. Woerner in Brussels on 17 May 1990. He said at the time that: “the fact that we are ready not to place a NATO army outside of German territory gives the Soviet Union a firm security guarantee.” Where are these guarantees?”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 2007 Munich speech, cited in We Poked the Bear, March 17, 2022
“A superpower is a cold war term. When people today say that Russia aspires to have this status, I interpret it in the following way: they want to undermine trust in Russia, to portray Russia as frightening, and create some kind of image of an enemy. … Russia is in favor of a multipolar world, a democratic world order, strengthening the system of international law, and for developing a legal system in which any small country, even a very small country, can feel itself secure, as if behind a stone wall. … Russia is ready to become part of this multipolar world and guarantee that the international community observes these rules. And not as a superpower with special rights, but rather as an equal among equals.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think there are things of which I and the people who have worked with me can feel deservedly proud. They include restoring Russia's territorial integrity, strengthening the state, progress towards establishing a multiparty system, strengthening the parliamentary system, restoring the Armed Forces' potential and, of course, developing the economy. As you know, our economy has been growing by 6.9 percent a year on average over this time, and our GDP has increased by 7.7 percent over the first four months of this year alone. When I began my work in the year 2000, 30 percent of our population was living below the poverty line. There has been a two-fold drop in the number of people living below the poverty line since then and the figure today is around 15 percent. By 2009-2010, we will bring this figure down to 10 percent, and this will bring us in line with the European average. We had enormous debts, simply catastrophic for our economy, but we have paid them off in full now. Not only have we paid our debts, but we now have the best foreign debt to GDP ratio in Europe. Our gold and currency reserve figures are well known: in 2000, they stood at just $12 billion and we had a debt of more than 100 percent of GDP, but now we have the third-biggest gold and currency reserves in the world and they have increased by $90 billion over the first four months of this year alone.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: When asked in June 2007 at the interview with G8 journalists about main achievements of his presidency.
“During the 1990s and even in 2000-2001, we had massive capital flight from Russia with $15 billion, $20 billion or $25 billion leaving the country every year. Last year we reversed this situation for the first time and had capital inflow of $41 billion. We have already had capital inflow of $40 billion over the first four months of this year. Russia's stock market capitalisation showed immense growth last year and increased by more than 50 percent. This is one of the best results in the world, perhaps even the best. Our economy was near the bottom of the list of world economies in terms of size but today it has climbed to ninth place and in some areas has even overtaken some of the other G8 countries' economies. This means that today we are able to tackle social problems. Real incomes are growing by around 12 percent a year. Real income growth over the first four months of this year came to just over 18 percent, while wages rose by 11-12 percent. Looking at the problems we have yet to resolve, one of the biggest is the huge income gap between the people at the top and the bottom of the scale. Combating poverty is obviously one of our top priorities in the immediate term and we still have to do a lot to improve our pension system too because the correlation between pensions and the average wage is still lower here than in Europe. The gap between incomes at the top and bottom end of the scale is still high here – a 15.6-15.7-fold difference. This is less than in the United States today (they have a figure of 15.9) but more than in the UK or Italy (where they have 13.6-13.7). But this remains a big gap for us and fighting poverty is one of our biggest priorities.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: When asked in June 2007 at the interview with G8 journalists about main achievements of his presidency.
“But in Ukraine, one third are ethnic Russians. Out of forty five million people, in line with the official census, seventeen millions are Russians http://2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/general/nationality/ actually 8.3M. There are regions, where only the Russian population lives, for instance, in the Crimea. 90% are Russians http://2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/general/nationality/Crimea/ actually 59%. Generally speaking, Ukraine is a very complicated state. Ukraine, in the form it currently exists, was created in the Soviet times, it received its territories from Poland – after the Second World war, from Czechoslovakia, from Romania – and at present not all the problems have been solved as yet in the border region with Romania in the Black Sea. Then, it received huge territories from Russia in the east and south of the country. It is a complicated state formation. If we introduce into it NATO problems, other problems, it may put the state on the verge of its existence. Complicated internal political problems are taking place there. We should act also very-very carefully. We do not have any right to veto, and, probably, we do not pretend to have. But I want that all of us, when deciding such issues, realize that we have there our interests as well. Well, seventeen million Russians currently live in Ukraine. Who may state that we do not have any interests there? South, the south of Ukraine, completely, there are only Russians.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In a speech at the NATO Bucharest summit, April 2, 2008
“Crimea is not a disputed territory. There has been no ethnic conflict there, unlike the conflict between South Ossetia and Georgia. Russia has long recognized the borders of modern-day Ukraine. On the whole, we have completed our talks on borders. The issue of demarcation still stands, but this is just a technicality. (Крым не является никакой спорной территорией. Там не было никакого этнического конфликта, в отличие от конфликта между Южной Осетией и Грузией. И Россия давно признала границы сегодняшней Украины. Мы, по сути, закончили в общем и целом наши переговоры по границе. Речь идет о демаркации, но это уже технические дела.)”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with ARD Television, Germany, in Sochi, Russia, August 29, 2008.
“Now on our relationship with Ukraine: I will disagree when you said that if we had been separated we would not have been victorious in the war. We would have won in any case, because we are a country of winners. [. . .] This means, that the war was won—I don’t want to offend anyone—on account of the industrial resources of the RF. It’s a historical fact, it’s all in the documents.” (Теперь по поводу наших отношений с Украиной. Я позволю с вами не согласиться, когда вы сейчас сказали, что если бы мы были разделены, мы не победили бы в войне. Мы все равно победили бы, потому что мы - страна победителей. [. . .] Это значит, что война выиграна, не хочу никого обижать, за счет индустриальных ресурсов РФ. Это исторический факт, это все в документах.)”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On not needing Ukraine to win the Second World War, in a Channel One televised Q&A in 2010-12-16 (quoted in “Russian-Ukrainian Information Wars Over the Meanings of WWII.)
“Everything about this crime is now open and published, including a million of documents passed to our Polish partners. It was the leadership of the security services, NKVD, Beria, political leadership who, for decades of cynical lies, tried to bury the truth about Katyn massacre, but it would be just as incorrect to place all the guilt on Russian nation. We bow our heads to those who bravely met death here. In this ground lay Soviet citizens, burnt in the fire of the Stalinist repression of the 1930s; Polish officers, shot on secret orders; soldiers of the Red Army, executed by the Nazis. Above these graves, in front of people who come here to remember their relatives, it would be a hypocrisy to say: "let's forget everything". No, we must keep the memory of the past and, of course, we will do it, regardless of how bitter the truth is. On the road to unity we will have two principles: memory and truth. If things work this way then, soldiers of Katyn, it will be your main victory.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 1939 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the 70th anniversary of where Soviet secret police executed 22,000 Polish officers captured after the Soviet Army invaded Poland in September 1939 [https://www.bbc.com/russian/international/2010/04/100407_katyn_putin
“Atatürk must rolled in his grave because of the Turkish Islamisation. Terrorists in Syria escaped to Turkey! Got healthcare there! Its not impossible to comprpomise with the current Turkish leaders, but very hard.. .. Maybe the current Turkish government wanted to show US and EU that "Yes, we are Islamisating the country. But we are modern Islamisators, we are civilised" Ronald Reagan once said something about the Nicaraguam dictator Somoza, "Yes, Somoza is lousy, but he is our lousy." And now Turkish government says "Yes, we are Islamisators, but we are helpful to the world." But if you are asking my opinion, this won't end good. .. "I will never be hungry again." Individualism lies at the core of the American identity while Russia has been a country of collectivism.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: June 2013 regarding difference between USA and Russia, according to page 97 of 30 November 2019 book "The Long Telegram 2.0: A Neo-Kennanite Approach to Russia" by Peter Eltsov
“Russians have different far lofty ambitions; more of a spiritual kind. It's more about your relationship with God. .. The U.S. is a very democratic state. There's no doubt about that. And it originally developed as a democratic state. When the first settlers set their foot on the continent, life forced them to forge a relationship and maintain a dialogue with each other to survive. That's why America was conceived as a fundamental democracy. .. [I]t's not by chance that Russia and the U.S. forge alliances in the most critical moments of modern history. That was the case in WWI and WWII. Even if there was fierce confrontation, our countries united against a common threat, which means there's something that unites us. There must be some fundamental interest which brings us together. That's something we need to focus on first. We need to be aware of our differences but focus on a positive agenda that can improve our cooperation.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 12 June 2013 "Putin talks NSA, Syria, Iran, drones in exclusive RT interview" on YouTube (also archived)
“Recently the British people suffered a huge loss. It was a tragedy next to his barracks on the streets of London. A violent assassination, a very brutal killing of a British serviceman. Clearly the opposition is not composed all of this but many of them are exactly the same as the ones who perpetrated the killing in London. If we equip these people, if we arm them what is going to control and verify? who is going to have these weapons?, including in Europe as well. So we call all our partners, before making this dangerous step, think about it very carefully. .. Not all G8 members take the view that chemical weapons were in fact used by the Syrian Army. Some actually agree with us that there is no proof We had disagreements that is true but I never felt lonely and Russia never was on its own in making a statement in regards of Syria.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In Enniskillen, 18 June 2013 g8-summit-politics-live-blog, guardian.co.uk
“It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord's blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal. .. Recent events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies. Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international organization – the United Nations – was then established to prevent such devastation from ever happening again.It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. Is it in America's long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan "you're either with us or against us"... No matter how targeted the strikes or how sophisticated the weapons, civilian casualties are inevitable, including the elderly and children, whom the strikes are meant to protect...We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: A plea for caution from Russia, The New York Times, (12 September 2013) Also published in the Guardian (12 September 2013)
“Speaking of the sanctions, they are not just a knee-jerk reaction on behalf of the United States or its allies to our position regarding the events and the coup in Ukraine, or even the so-called Crimean Spring. I’m sure that if these events had never happened – I want to point this out specifically for you as politicians sitting in this auditorium – if none of that had ever happened, they would have come up with some other excuse to try to contain Russia’s growing capabilities, affect our country in some way, or even take advantage of it. .. However, in this case I would like to speak about the most serious and sensitive issue: international security. Since 2002, after the US unilaterally pulled out of the ABM Treaty, which was absolutely a cornerstone of international security, a strategic balance of forces and stability, the US has been working relentlessly to create a global missile defence system, including in Europe. This poses a threat not only to Russia, but to the world as a whole – precisely due to the possible disruption of this strategic balance of forces.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2014 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 4 December 2014, The Kremlin Moscow, http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/news/23341
“As for some countries’ concerns about Russia's possible aggressive actions, I think that only an insane person and only in a dream can imagine that Russia would suddenly attack NATO. I think some countries are simply taking advantage of people’s fears with regard to Russia. They just want to play the role of front-line countries that should receive some supplementary military, economic, financial or some other aid. Therefore, it is pointless to support this idea; it is absolutely groundless. But some may be interested in fostering such fears. I can only make a conjecture. For example, the Americans do not want Russia's rapprochement with Europe. I am not asserting this, it is just a hypothesis. Let’s suppose that the United States would like to maintain its leadership in the Atlantic community. It needs an external threat, an external enemy to ensure this leadership. Iran is clearly not enough – this threat is not very scary or big enough. Who can be frightening? And then suddenly this crisis unfolds in Ukraine. Russia is forced to respond. Perhaps, it was engineered on purpose, I don’t know. But it was not our doing. Let me tell you something – there is no need to fear Russia. The world has changed so drastically that people with some common sense cannot even imagine such a large-scale military conflict today. We have other things to think about, I assure you.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2015 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 6 June 2015 interview to the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera.
“I will not go into who is to blame for what now. I have always considered, and still do today, that Russians and Ukrainians are really one people. There are people who hold radical nationalist views both in Russia and in Ukraine. But overall, for the majority, we are one people, a people who share a common history and culture and are ethnically close. First we were divided, then we were set against each other, but we are not to blame for this. We must find our own way out of this situation. I am sure that common sense will prevail and that we will find a solution. (Я сейчас не буду говорить про то, кто в чём виноват, но я считаю, как и считал, что русские и украинцы – это действительно один народ. У нас есть люди крайних националистических взглядов, как в России, так и в Украине. Но в целом в большинстве своём это один народ – народ одной истории, одной культуры, очень близкий этнически. Нас сначала разделили, а потом стравили, но мы сами в этом виноваты. И мы должны сами найти выход из этой ситуации.)[http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/53151”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 27 October 2016 meeting of the Valdai Club
“You know my position; I spoke about it a number of times. I believe that we are one nation with practically no differences. There are some cultural differences, and the linguistic colouring is a little different. As for me, for instance, the identity of the Ukrainian people’s culture is worth a lot. It is a very rich culture. But in essence, on the whole, we are one people, and a very patient one. (Вы знаете мою позицию, много раз говорил на этот счёт. Считаю, что у нас один народ, и разницы практически никакой нет. Есть культурологическая, языковая окраска немножко другая. Причём для меня, например, своеобразие культуры украинского народа, на мой взгляд, это очень дорогого стоит. Это действительно богатая культура. Но в целом, по сути‑то один народ.)[http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/55052”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 14 July 2017 visit to Lebedinsky GOK
“[in Russian] To all football fans and the greatest football teams on the planet — welcome! Welcome to all who have already arrived in Russia, and to those who are planning to take part in this landmark international event — the FIFA World Cup. It is with immense joy and a great honor that we receive representatives of the great football family. We want this event to be a celebration, filled with passion and emotions. I hope you will have an unforgettable experience — not only watching the matches of your favorite teams and admiring the players’ skills, but also getting to know Russia. Learning about its identity and culture, its unique history and natural diversity; its hospitable, sincere and friendly people. We have done our best to ensure that all of our guests – the athletes, the staff and, of course, the fans – feel at home in Russia. We have opened both our country and our hearts to the world. Welcome to the FIFA World Cup! [in English] Welcome to Russia.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Video address on the occasion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony (8 June 2018)
“There is a demand for true heroism in our lives. True heroism can manifest itself, in particular, by defending civilization from today’s evils. Of course, terrorism is one of the most serious and challenging evils.... the only way to effectively stand up to terrorism is to join efforts. Unfortunately, in the true sense of the word, we have not put this cooperation in place yet. There are some aspects of cooperation where we have succeeded but this is not enough. By the highest standards, we have failed to join efforts the way we should so far, while this could be done, based on the relevant international rules of law and UN resolutions.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is an old joke, but some people may not know it. They might find it amusing. It sounds like that. Question: ”How do you relax?“ Answer: ”I am relaxed.“ The same goes for tensions in international affairs. We are not creating any problems for anyone. Are we the ones creating problems? No. Instead, we are being accused of things. They say that Russia was “highly likely” to have done this or that, intervened at one place and wreaked havoc at another. But, no one believes it is necessary to produce any evidence... the result of the internal political struggle in the Western world as a whole. Now they are fighting... and there is controversy... someone has apparently decided that playing the anti-Russia card would be a very convenient way to resolve domestic political problems. This is bad for everyone...”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Were our meetings with President Trump harmful or helpful? I believe that, despite the attempt to discredit these meetings, they nevertheless were more positive than negative. ...it is better to communicate and interact with each other than, forgive my language, engage in a never-ending dogfight. Our meetings have hardly improved US domestic politics, I guess. Probably because, again, there are those who are always trying to play this card in the domestic political struggle. I would say the incumbent president is geared to stabilise and level Russian-American relations. Let's see how the situation develops. We, in any case, are ready for this at any time... We have a comfortable professional dialogue with him... he reacts to the arguments I make. He may disagree with something I say, just as I would disagree with something he might say. We have different views... but this is a normal discussion between partners...”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Crimea is our land... Even if someone decides to argue with me, the dispute will immediately come to a dead-end... Democracy is the power of the people. How is it exercised, this power of the people? It is exercised through referendums, elections and so on. People came to a referendum in Crimea and voted for independence, first, and then for being part of Russia....Let me remind you for the hundredth time that there was no referendum in Kosovo, only the parliament voted for independence, that was all. Everyone who wanted to support and destroy the former Yugoslavia said: well, thank God, we are fine with that... we proceed based on the will expressed by the people who live on that territory.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Our nuclear weapons doctrine does not provide for a pre-emptive strike.... there is no provision for a pre-emptive strike in our nuclear weapons doctrine. Our concept is based on a reciprocal counter strike. We are prepared and will use nuclear weapons only when we know for certain that some potential aggressor is attacking Russia...Only when we know for certain – and this takes a few seconds to understand – that Russia is being attacked we will deliver a counter strike. This would be a reciprocal counter strike. Why do I say ‘counter’? Because we will counter missiles flying towards us by sending a missile in the direction of an aggressor. Of course, this amounts to a global catastrophe but I would like to repeat that we cannot be the initiators of such a catastrophe... any aggressor should know that retaliation is inevitable and they will be annihilated. And we as the victims of an aggression, we as martyrs would go to paradise while they will simply perish because they won’t even have time to repent their sins.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Positions have been coordinated, except for the United States, which always has a special opinion. In fact, the US delegation was open about it from the outset. Everyone knows the current Administration’s stance on the Paris Accords. Nevertheless, all the other participants in the forum confirmed their readiness to implement the agreements under the Paris Accords. Actually, I think there is also a positive moment in the US position too, since the Americans said they were ready to work on the environmental agenda under their own programme. We have to read the final wording but the fact that the Americans say they also want to contribute to solving environmental issues is a positive thing, in my view. .. As to Russia, we spoke about it a number of times and we reaffirmed that at the forum again and also agreed on that in the final document. We are going to fully comply with our commitments. In the nearest future we will begin the ratification of these agreements and will conduct the necessary domestic procedures. These issues are highly relevant for us.I stated this at the last plenary session. Let me remind you that according to the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, the warming in Russia is happening 2.5 times faster than the average global warming. This is a major challenge for us. We must realise that. This is the reason for floods, and for permafrost thawing in the areas where we have fairly big cities. We must be able to understand how to react to the climate changes underway there. .. How can one imagine that in some European countries parents are told that “Girls should not wear skirts to school for safety reasons.” What is that? ...How did it get so far? ...It has gotten too far, in my view, that this, liberal idea starts destroying itself. It is true that we really have a very calm attitude towards the LGBT community. Truly, it is calm and absolutely unbiased. .. We have a law that everybody has been kicking us for – a law prohibiting homosexual propaganda among minors. But listen, let a person grow up, become an adult and then to decide who he or she is. Leave children in peace. There are so many inventions nowadays...they invented five or six genders, transformers, trans… I do not even understand what it is. .. This is not the problem. The problem is that this part of society is aggressively imposing their view on the majority. We have to be more loyal to each other, more open and transparent... We have to respect everyone, that is true, but we must not impose our points of view on others. Meanwhile, representatives of the so-called liberal idea are simply forcing their ideas on others. They dictate the need for the so-called sex education. Parents are against it...”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Vladimir Putin’s news conference, Transcript, Kremlin.ru, (29 June 2019)
“Somebody came up with this idea of five or six genders... I don't even understand what they mean... I am not trying to insult anyone because we have been condemned for our alleged homophobia...but we have no problem with LGBT persons. God forbid, let them live as they wish. But some things do appear excessive to us. They claim now that children can play five or six gender roles.... Let everyone be happy... but this must not be allowed to overshadow the culture, traditions and traditional family values of millions of people making up the core population. Speaking of Elton John, I respect him very much ... but I think he is mistaken. I didn't overstate anything, We have a law that everybody is angry at us because of the law that doesn't allow propaganda of homosexuals among underage population. Let's let the kids grow and then let them decide what they want to do.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in Putin fires back at Elton John over gay rights in Russia, CNN, Christina Maxouris, (29 June 2019)
“The League of Nations also failed to prevent conflicts in various parts of the world, such as the attack of Italy on Ethiopia, the civil war in Spain, the Japanese aggression against China and the Anschluss of Austria. Furthermore, in case of the Munich Betrayal that, in addition to Hitler and Mussolini involved British and French leaders, Czechoslovakia was taken apart with the full approval of the League of Nations. I would like to point out in this regard that, unlike many other European leaders of that time, Stalin did not disgrace himself by meeting with Hitler who was known among the Western nations as quite a reputable politician and was a welcome guest in the European capitals.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2020 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in Vladimir Putin: The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II, The National Interest (18 June 2020)
“During the recent Direct Line, when I was asked about Russian-Ukrainian relations, I said that Russians and Ukrainians were one people — a single whole. These words were not driven by some short-term considerations or prompted by the current political context. It is what I have said on numerous occasions and what I firmly believe. I therefore feel it necessary to explain my position in detail and share my assessments of today’s situation. First of all, I would like to emphasize that the wall that has emerged in recent years between Russia and Ukraine, between the parts of what is essentially the same historical and spiritual space, to my mind is our great common misfortune and tragedy. These are, first and foremost, the consequences of our own mistakes made at different periods of time. But these are also the result of deliberate efforts by those forces that have always sought to undermine our unity. The formula they apply has been known from time immemorial — divide and rule. There is nothing new here. Hence the attempts to play on the "national question" and sow discord among people, the overarching goal being to divide and then to pit the parts of a single people against one another.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ukraine and Russia have developed as a single economic system over decades and centuries. The profound cooperation we had 30 years ago is an example for the European Union to look up to. We are natural complementary economic partners. Such a close relationship can strengthen competitive advantages, increasing the potential of both countries. Ukraine used to possess great potential, which included powerful infrastructure, gas transportation system, advanced shipbuilding, aviation, rocket and instrument engineering industries, as well as world-class scientific, design and engineering schools. Taking over this legacy and declaring independence, Ukrainian leaders promised that the Ukrainian economy would be one of the leading ones and the standard of living would be among the best in Europe. Today, high-tech industrial giants that were once the pride of Ukraine and the entire Union, are sinking.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We respect Ukrainians' desire to see their country free, safe and prosperous. I am confident that true sovereignty of Ukraine is possible only in partnership with Russia. Our spiritual, human and civilizational ties formed for centuries and have their origins in the same sources, they have been hardened by common trials, achievements and victories. Our kinship has been transmitted from generation to generation. It is in the hearts and the memory of people living in modern Russia and Ukraine, in the blood ties that unite millions of our families. Together we have always been and will be many times stronger and more successful. For we are one people. Today, these words may be perceived by some people with hostility. They can be interpreted in many possible ways. Yet, many people will hear me. And I will say one thing — Russia has never been and will never be "anti-Ukraine". And what Ukraine will be — it is up to its citizens to decide.”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Why is Ukraine’s potential admission into NATO dangerous? The problem does exist. For example, European countries, including France, believe that Crimea is part of Ukraine, but we think that it is part of the Russian Federation. And what happens if attempts are made to change this situation by military means? Bear in mind that Ukraine’s doctrines declare Russia an adversary and state the possibility of regaining Crimea, even using military force. Just imagine what could happen if Ukraine were a NATO member. Article 5 has not been canceled. On the contrary, Mr. Biden, the President of the United States, has said recently that Article 5 is a sacred obligation and will be honored. This is fraught with a military confrontation between Russia and NATO… Ask your readers, your audiences, and the users of online resources, ‘Do you want France to fight against Russia?’ Because this is how it will be….”
Vladimir Putin (born 1952) first seen 2022 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted from press conference with President of France Macron on February 8, 2022, in Putin Asks: Does NATO Really Want To Fight Nuclear Power Russia? The International Schiller Institute, (February 9, 2022)