Vladimir Putin

I think we should not control the Internet.

Why does the world dislike Russia? I do not think that we are unloved or considered to be ignorant.

The Chechnya problem is a centuries-old problem. The thing is that today, fundamentalists and terrorists are exploiting those centuries-old problems to accomplish their own objectives that have nothing to do whatsoever with the interests of Chechnya.

When in 2007 I spoke in Munich…I spoke about the fact that the United States is widening the jurisdiction of its laws beyond its national borders, and that this is unacceptable. And that’s exactly what’s happening now, also to our European and other partners. Why is this happening? No one wanted to listen and no one did anything to stop this from developing.

My parents told me that children were taken from their families in 1941, and my mother had a child taken from her – with the goal of saving him.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Russia, unlike in one third of the world’s countries, being gay is not a crime.

The internet is an élite organization; most of the population of the world has never even made a phone call.

The transfer of power is always a test of the constitutional system, a test of its strength.

We want peace and a political solution to the situation in Chechnya.

Imagine a country that flies into space, launches Sputniks, creates such a defense system, and it can’t resolve the problem of women’s pantyhose. There’s no toothpaste, no soap powder, not the basic necessities of life. It was incredible and humiliating to work in such a government.

Lincoln said you cannot be President without spending some item on your knees. I have repeated that and a bunch of Atheists got all over me. Wait a minute. Does that mean that you cannot be President if you are an Atheist? I say yea that does mean that.

The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.

We have a tax-raising power in Scotland but not in English regions. I want genuine regional taxation powers [in England].

Michelle’s not somebody who wants to be deeply involved in policy development. She’s my closest friend and my most important adviser. But I don’t anticipate her sitting around the table trying to figure out tax policy. She’ll probably choose a project that she cares about. But her number-one priority is going to be these kids, and making sure that their transition is one in which the wonderful normalcy that they have is maintained.

I think the American people should express their preferences, and we’ll accept their choice.

Would I do business with Putin? Sure. And I’d challenge him on human rights in Russia, challenge him on these issues and challenge him on that whole basis of that relationship.

Sometimes people ask me why I began perestroika. Were the causes basically domestic or foreign? The domestic reasons were undoubtedly the main ones, but the danger of nuclear war was so serious that it was a no less significant factor.

Hizbullah is not a militia.

There are all sorts of filtering devices to get rid of people who are a pain in the neck and think independently. Those of you who have been through college know that the educational system is very highly geared to rewarding conformity and obedience.

We should be adult and grown up and decriminalise cannabis

To pay more is the easy way. In fact, the solution possibilities to the problem are many.