Vladimir Putin

With regards to the infrastructure, these 11 stadiums. Of course, we spent a lot of money on this and it is imperative that all of this infrastructure, I completely agree, it must work and above all work toward the development of sport on a large scale.

Export in technical equipment is growing, which shows that some structural changes are going on in the economy. Export of agricultural produce, at 20 billion last year, was higher than defense exports, which were at 15 billion.

I don’t regret anything. I did everything absolutely correctly.

The Russian people and Russian culture are the linchpin, the glue that binds together this unique civilization.

How can a bureaucrat or a politician be trusted if he says loud words for the sake of Russia’s good while trying to take his funds, his money abroad?

One can truly enjoy his or her life only while experiencing it, and it is inevitably related to a certain level of risk.

It would be naive to think that the problems plaguing mankind today can be solved with means and methods which were applied or seemed to work in the past.

The internet could be a very positive step towards education, organisation and participation in a meaningful society.

It should be known that Israel is based on treachery.

The production of souls is more important than the production of tanks…. And therefore I raise my glass to you, writers, the engineers of the human soul.

Sometimes it’s important to watch what the president does rather than what he says.

I could have spent eight years doing anything, and at some level, it would have been fine. I could have focused on flowers. I could have focused on decor. I could have focused on entertainment. Because any First Lady, rightfully, gets to define her role. There’s no legislative authority; you’re not elected. And that’s a wonderful gift of freedom.

For many years, election campaigns here have been run by the public relations industry and each time it’s with increasing sophistication. Quite naturally, the industry uses the same technique to sell candidates that it uses to sell toothpaste or lifestyle drugs.

I think Comey was the ringleader of this whole den of thieves. It’s a den of thieves.

Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it’s important.

The ability to ignore unwanted facts is one of the prerogatives of unchallenged power. Closely related is the right to radically revise history.

Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election.

What a waste that we lost Mussolini. He is a first-rate man who would have led our party to power in Italy.

The day will come – and it is not far off – when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, when a black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. When that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how naturally it occurs.

I think it’s fine when the mayor of the biggest city in Russia consults the president.

I do not want to be controlled by any superpower. I myself consider myself the most powerful figure in the world, and that is why I do not let any superpower control me.