“Between major countries, there certainly always are some common ground and points of tension.”

Nobody and nothing will stop Russia on the road to strengthening democracy and ensuring human rights and freedoms.

Chess makes man wiser and clear-sighted.

Chess makes man wiser and clear-sighted.

We don’t need a weakened government but a strong government that would take responsibility for the rights of the individual and care for the society as a whole.

I don’t read books by people who have betrayed the Motherland.

Journalism, as concerns collecting information, differs little if at all from intelligence work. In my judgment, a journalist’s job is very interesting.

The whole world recognizes Russia’s cultural achievements. It is impossible to imagine the world culture without Russian culture, without our music and literature.

If there are people who act outside the law, then the state must use legal means to impose law in the interests of majority.

Despite all the achievements of civilisation, the human being is still one of the most vulnerable creatures on earth.

Russia will not soon become, if it ever becomes, a second copy of the United States or England – where liberal value have deep historic roots.

It’s better not to argue with women.

Life is inevitably related to a certain level of risk.

Everything will probably never be OK. But we have to try for it.

I insist that people – wherever they live – have their rights and they must be able to fight for them.

I’m eternally grateful to fate and the citizens of Russia that they’ve trusted me to be the head of the Russian government.

f you aspire to be a leader of your own country, you must speak your own language, for God’s sake.

I believe the Japan-U.S. alliance is the only indispensable alliance, and I’d like to use my visit to further strengthen this relationship.

Russia is a part of the West and at the same time is a part of the Asia-Pacific.

The Russian people have their own cultural code, their own tradition.

Japan will calmly proceed with its activities in line with international law.

A healthy country is a happy country.

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

I am ready to give everything for Japan.

I will ensure that Japan keeps getting better, better this year than last year, and better next year than this year.