VLADIMIR PUTIN

When I look at Ukraine, Putin, an ex KGB officer is using the playbook of the Cold War. He isn't going to try and grab the western part; he's going to maximize his influence, the way we would have done in Chile. That is buying political power, getting agents, influencing the propaganda piece, and increasing intimidation for the east. It's a classic playbook.

Most Russian programs and policies had had just the opposite effect of what was intended. The reason is hyper-centralization of power.

My message is that Democracy is not an alien invention. It is a way of solving problems in our society.

The election in Russia was free but not very fair.

President George W. Bush looked into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s eyes and said “I saw his soul.” Putin looked into Bush’s eyes---and saw NOTHING.

We have more billionaires than any country but the United States. And Putin can imprison any one of them at a moment’s notice. Do you think he is poor?

We are not allowed to refer to certain things that he does not like.

Putin has demonstrated his fondness for the Cold War…. Once a KBG agent, always a KGB agent.

We have institutions, but they don’t work. We have laws, but they must be enforced.

Both Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev have law degrees but they do not know what the rule of law means.

[Vladimir] Putin trampled on international rules and sovereignty of the Ukraine.

Russian elites believe that he [President Vladimir Putin] serves the same function as the Czars of old, keeping diverse political clans and their leaders (the boyars) in balance, preventing the civil war or chaos that a country of Russia’s vast size and relative emptiness would face if it were left open to competition by those who retain loyal militias.

Anyone who doesn't regret the passing of the Soviet Union has no heart. Anyone who wants it restored has no brains.

Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart. Whoever wants it back has no brain.

I have already spoken to three US Presidents. They come and go, but politics stay the same at all times. Do you know why? Because of the powerful bureaucracy. When a person is elected, they may have some ideas. Then people with briefcases arrive, well dressed, wearing dark suits, just like mine, except for the red tie, since they wear black or dark blue ones. These people start explaining how things are done. And instantly, everything changes. This is what happens with every administration.

Above all, we should acknowledge that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century. As for the Russian nation, it became a genuine drama. Tens of millions of our co-citizens and co-patriots found themselves outside Russian territory.

Russia has been too weak, and the weak get beaten.

You need to put drones under control; you need to lay out certain rules of engagement in order to prevent or minimize collateral casualties. It is extremely important.

I am not prejudiced in any way.

I do not want to speak about our cooperation with Japan now. Thank God, we have had no such problems there. Nor would we want any to arise in the future. Therefore, everything needs to be pre-calculated, and we need to agree upon everything in advance.

Changing things is not easy, and I say this without any irony. It is not that someone does not want to, but because it is a hard thing to do. Take Obama, a forward-thinking man, a liberal, a democrat. Did he not pledge to shut down Guantanamo before his election? But did he do it? No, he did not. And may I ask why not? Did he not want to do it? He wanted to, I am sure he did, but it did not work out. He sincerely wanted to do it, but did not succeed, since it turned out to be very complicated.

If you are a Christian, you are in danger. Even if you are an atheist, you are in danger, and if you decide to convert to Islam, this will not save you, either, because traditional Islam is inimical to the conditions and objectives set by them [the terrorists]. If you are prepared to become a most radical Islamist and are prepared to circumcise yourself, I invite you to come to Moscow. I will recommend having the operation done in such a way that nothing will grow for you there anymore.