One must not allow oneself to skid down to isolationism and unbridled economic egoism. ... The second possible mistake would be excessive interference into the economic life of the country. And the absolute faith into the all-mightiness of the state.

America is a powerful country and it has earned the right that nobody from the outside can interfere with it or comment on it. We will work with any administration, with any president who will win the support of the American people, if of course they are ready to cooperate with Russia.

How can I be a gangster, if I worked for the KGB? It is absolutely ridiculous.

The basic principles of democracy should be observed whatever the country - principles such as civil liberties, a free market, a free press, the priority of the individual over mythical state interests, a state which serves the interests of ordinary people and defends their rights and interests. This is all easy to say but hard to make reality.

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.

My family suffered very major losses during the Second World War, that's true. In my father's family, there were five brothers. I think four of them died. On my mother's side the picture was pretty much the same. Russia has suffered great losses. And of course we can't forget that.

This terrible tragedy.... the entire international community should unite in the struggle against terrorism this is a blatant challenge to humanity.