Honestly, I do not even know whether this is on the visit itinerary, but if there is time, I would be pleased to go to Kodokan. For anyone interested in judo, who loves judo, Kodokan is a special place. Vladimir Putin More Quotes by Vladimir Putin More Quotes From Vladimir Putin Back in 2007, many people criticized me for my talk at the Munich Security Conference. But what did I say there? I merely pointed out that the former NATO Secretary General Manfred Wörner had guaranteed that NATO would not expand eastwards after the fall of the Wall. Vladimir Putin wall people fall Over the course of the year 1990, the then Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher had many conversations with President [Mikhail] Gorbachev and other Soviet officials. Vladimir Putin gorbachev president years This, for instance, is what Egon Bahr said on June 26, 1990: "If we do not now undertake clear steps to prevent a division of Europe, this will lead to Russia's isolation."Bahr, a wise man, had a very concrete suggestion as to how this danger could be averted. Vladimir Putin wise europe men [Egon] Bahr even said: If Russia agreed to the NATO expansion, he would never come to Moscow again. Vladimir Putin moscow expansion russia Prime Minister [Shinzō Abe] and I have spoken a lot, and we said all the right things, in my opinion, about creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship between our nations and peoples. Vladimir Putin atmosphere creating opinion I have heard this a thousand times. Of course every state has the right to organize its security the way it deems appropriate. But the states that were already in NATO, the member states, could also have followed their own interests - and abstained from an expansion to the east. Vladimir Putin expansion east way Our agreements on creating the conditions for preparing a peace treaty [with Japan] should be rooted in this trust. This may be achieved, for example, by large-scale economic activities that will also cover the Kuril Islands. It may be achieved by solving purely humanitarian issues, for instance, unhindered visa-free travel by former residents of the Southern Kuril Islands to where they used to live: visiting cemeteries, native places and so on. Vladimir Putin creating issues islands There is progress in the sense that the Prime Minister [Shinzō Abe] has proposed, outlined, as it were, directions for movement toward a peace treaty and the resolution of issues related to territorial problems. Now, what did he propose? He proposed promoting an environment of trust and cooperation. I believe it is even hard to imagine that it can be any different, that we can agree to sign the documents that we are talking about without trusting each other or without cooperation. That is simply impossible even to imagine. Vladimir Putin trusting-each-other issues believe One of our objectives today is very important for many people, for millions of people on our planet - it is joining efforts in the fight against terrorism and other similar challenges: countering drug trafficking and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, fighting famine, preserving environment and biodiversity, taking efforts to make the world more predictable, more stable. Vladimir Putin mass-destruction fighting people President Obama and I can meet, shake hands and discuss current issues, we - and I am personally - are always ready for such contacts. Vladimir Putin issues president hands I have called President Obama, and President Obama called me on various issues. This is part of our regular contacts, there is nothing unusual or extraordinary about it. Vladimir Putin unusual issues president Nothing matters for a drastic change in Ukraine more than political transformations. Vladimir Putin ukraine political matter I think that both Russia and other international actors, including those who are more actively engaged in the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis (that is the Federal Republic of Germany and France, the so-called Normandy Quartet, certainly, with close involvement of the United States, and we have intensified our dialogue on this issue), we should all be committed to the full and unconditional implementation of the agreements that were achieved in Minsk. The Minsk Agreements have to be implemented. Vladimir Putin issues agreement thinking Addressing issues, including controversial ones, as well as domestic issues of the former Soviet Republics through the so-called coloured revolutions, through coups and unconstitutional means of toppling the current government. That is absolutely unacceptable. Vladimir Putin issues government mean Ukraine is the closest country to us. We have always said that Ukraine is our sister country and it is true. It is not just a Slavic people, it is the closest people to Russia: we have similar languages, culture, common history, religion etc. Vladimir Putin ukraine russia country I do not think I am entitled to assess the President of the United States. This is up to the American people. Vladimir Putin president people thinking Whatever we do, all the knowledge, the experience, they stay with us, we carry them on, use them in one way or another. Vladimir Putin one-way use way I will not meddle in America's internal political squabbles. Vladimir Putin squabbles political america I believe a healthy lifestyle is an extremely important thing which underpins solution to numerous important problems, including the health of the nation. Vladimir Putin healthy important believe In the 1990s and early 2000s, there was a grave social situation in Russia; our social protection system was destroyed; numerous problems emerged which we have not been able to cope with effectively yet, to get rid of them, in health, sports development. Vladimir Putin russia development sports
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