We negotiated the construction of a gas pipeline system along the bottom of the Black Sea to Bulgaria. We signed certain treaties of a technical nature, contracts for laying the gas pipeline. And then Bulgaria created such conditions that the project's implementation became impossible, which was obviously against its own national interests. The former Bulgarian leadership was, in fact, aware of that and acknowledged it. But we trusted them when we were launching that project. We sustained losses amounting to millions, several million dollars. We would not want to get into such situations.

Russia needs a strong state power and must have it. But I am not calling for totalitarianism.

We should cooperate much more closely in fighting terrorism, which is a great challenge.

Nothing matters for a drastic change in Ukraine more than political transformations.

Whatever we do, all the knowledge, the experience, they stay with us, we carry them on, use them in one way or another.

As for that footage, video footage showing the dead children allegedly killed in the chemical attack, it is horrible. The question is only who did it and what they did, and who is responsible for this. These pictures do not answer the questions I have just posed. There is an opinion that it's a compilation by these very rebels, who are connected with al-Qaida and who were always distinguished by exceptional brutality.

First, the constitution [of Ukraine] has to be reformed. Only then can confidence building and border security follow.