News ∙ President ∙ Events ∙ President of Russia

President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to French President Jacques Chirac over a plane crash in Egypt that killed many French citizens January 3, 2004, 13:10

December 30, 2003, Tuesday

President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Russian citizens with the New Year. The head of state said that 2003 had been, on the whole, successful, although there had been difficulties and mistakes, while some problems remained unsolved December 30, 2003, 20:06

December 29, 2003, Monday

The State Duma should concentrate, above all, on issues directly connected with Russians’ quality of life, President Vladimir Putin declared at the first session of the new convocation of the lower chamber of parliament December 29, 2003, 17:39

December 27, 2003, Saturday

President Vladimir Putin congratulated children from all over Russia with the upcoming New Year December 27, 2003, 11:34

December 25, 2003, Thursday

While speaking at a Kremlin ceremony to confer state awards today, President Vladimir Putin urged Russians to work energetically. Everyone has to work for his success, through constant and great efforts, the head of state said December 25, 2003, 21:12

December 24, 2003, Wednesday

The Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait are Russian and Ukrainian inland waters, says a treaty between the Russian Federation and Ukraine on partnerly use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. It was signed to sum up negotiations between the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia December 24, 2003, 20:50

December 23, 2003, Tuesday

President Vladimir Putin has proposed that the state and businessmen pool their efforts to draw up an “agreed investment policy.” While speaking at a session of the governing board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the head of state stressed that this needed to be done in such spheres as education, healthcare, the environment and the mortgage system December 23, 2003, 19:14

December 22, 2003, Monday

According to preliminary estimates, the overall level of Russian companies’ investment in Iraq could soon reach four billion dollars, President Vladimir Putin announced during a meeting with the head of Iraqi’s Provisional Governing Council, Abdel Aziz al-Hakim December 22, 2003, 22:24

December 20, 2003, Saturday

During a ceremonial meeting dedicated to Security Service Officer Day, President Vladimir Putin announced that the prevention of terrorist attacks, new raids and provocations by terrorists to be a priority for the security services December 20, 2003, 19:08

December 19, 2003, Friday

Every year in Russia around one million working-age people become disabled and only five percent of them have a chance of fully restoring their health, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with representatives of disabled people’s organisations. The President stressed that in this situation one of the main priorities is to ensure social rehabilitation December 19, 2003, 21:00

December 18, 2003, Thursday

All the information collected starting December 14 for the President’s live television and radio dialogue with the population, together with the information that came in during the broadcast itself on December 18, will be analysed and taken into account in practical work, President Vladimir Putin told journalists present at the Kremlin immediately following the Direct Line live broadcast December 18, 2003, 12:30

December 17, 2003, Wednesday

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, President Vladimir Putin praised the Moscow authorities for their distinctive working style that has brought success December 17, 2003, 19:30

December 15, 2003, Monday

President Vladimir Putin paid his last respects to former President of Azerbaijan Geidar Aliev, laying a wreath of claret-coloured roses beside his coffin. After the farewell ceremony, which took place at the Republic Palace in Baku, Mr Putin said he was deeply saddened by the death of Mr Aliev, with whom he had established warm personal relations December 15, 2003, 18:24

December 12, 2003, Friday

According to the Constitution, human rights and freedoms determine the meaning, contents and use of laws, and determine the activity of bodies of power, President Vladimir Putin stressed at a ceremonial meeting devoted to the 10th anniversary of the Constitution of the Russian Federation December 12, 2003, 19:02

December 11, 2003, Thursday

At a meeting with heads of Duma factions and deputy groups, Vladimir Putin gave a high assessment of the activity of the Duma of the third convocation, which is completing its work December 11, 2003, 18:31

December 10, 2003, Wednesday

Joint rapid deployment forces should become an important compenent of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, President Vladimir Putin said in an address to participants in the meeting of the Council of Defence Minister of the CIS member states December 10, 2003, 20:38

December 9, 2003, Tuesday

The Russian Constitution has not exhausted its positive potential, President Vladimir Putin announced at a meeting of the Legislative Council. The President called for a stop to all discussion of the necessity to make changes to the Basic Law. It is necessary to use everything the Constitution of 1993 offers to develop the country December 9, 2003, 18:54

December 8, 2003, Monday

Speaking at a meeting with members of the government, President Vladimir Putin said that whatever the results of the parliamentary elections that will determine who sits in the next State Duma, what is most important is that these elections mark yet another step towards building a stronger democracy in Russia December 8, 2003, 21:44

December 7, 2003, Sunday

President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila Putina voted at the elections for State Duma deputies and the Mayor of Moscow December 7, 2003, 18:06

December 5, 2003, Friday

International terrorism, a challenge faced by many countries today, remains a serious threat for Russia too, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Director of the Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev and Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov to discuss the terrorist act that took place in the train running between the towns of Kislovodsk and Mineralniye Vody December 5, 2003, 17:58

"We remember the lessons of World War II and will never agree with the distortion of those events or attempts to justify the murderers and slander the true victors."