People are always teaching us democracy but the people who teach us democracy don't want to learn it themselves.

At the request of our Japanese partners, we have reopened these talks [about territories]. What command is given in this case in judo? You probably know better than I do: Yoshi (continue). So we will continue.

Stalinism is linked with a cult of personality and massive violations of the law, with repression and camps. There is nothing like that in Russia and, I hope, will never again be...

The strengthening of our statehood is, at times, deliberately interpreted as authoritarianism.

The issues of political nature should be solved in any country, including in Syria, primarily by its people.

You too would prefer that Russia maintained good relations with both the United Kingdom and the United States, wouldn't you? I would prefer it as well. If anybody in the U.S. or in the United Kingdom says: "I would like to establish good partnership relations with Russia", then both of us, you and me, should welcome that. So should people like me and people like you. However, we have no idea yet what would actually happen after the elections [2016]. That is why I am telling you that we will work with any President designated as such by the American public.

The path towards a free society has not been simple. There are tragic and glorious pages in our history.