Vladimir Putin Quotes

Some years ago our Japanese counterparts asked us to resume the discussions of the issue and so we did meeting them halfway. Over the passed couple of years the contacts were practically frozen on the initiative of the Japanese side, not ours. At the same time, presently our partners have expressed their eagerness to resume discussions on this issue [the Kuril Islands].

To me it seems to matter little whether you have an alliance which is committed to paper, or whether you have an understanding in the minds of the statesmen of the respective countries. An understanding is perhaps better than an alliance, which may stereotype arrangements which cannot be regarded as permanent in view of the changing circumstances from day to day.

It seems to me to matter little whether you have an alliance which is committed to paper, or whether you have an understanding in the minds of the statesmen of the respective countries.

Successful diplomats must always be conscious of other parties' need to know how an agreement serves their interests and how it can be sold back home.

Back in 1956, we signed a treaty and surprisingly it was ratified both by the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and the Japanese Parliament. But then Japan refused to implement it and after that the Soviet Union also, so to say, nullified all the agreements reached within the framework of the treaty.

At the request of my Japanese colleagues, in 2000 we revisited the possibility of signing a peace treaty based on the 1956 agreement.

I will not offer my thoughts on what Japan could and should have done, this is none of my business, it is the business of the Japanese leadership. But we should understand how practicable all our agreements are as a whole given the allied obligations Japan has assumed, how much independence there is in making those decision, and what we can hope for, what we can ultimately arrive at.

At some point a few years ago Japan unilaterally stopped those talks and broke off contacts with us. It was not we who broke off contacts with Japan, it was the Japanese side that broke off contacts with us.

Syria doesn't want to talk with us on a bilateral basis, only under the auspices of the United States.

We believe we have no territorial problems at all. It is only Japan that believes it has territorial problems with Russia. We are ready to talk about this.

An economic version of mutual deterrence is preserving the uneasy status quo between China and Japan.

States should engage [negotiate] with other states, but only so long as their diplomats reflected the will of elected officials.

We the most sacred Moslem Emperor … Murad III, in token of our Imperial friendship … with Elizabeth, Queen of England, does signify and declare that the people and subjects of the same Queen, may safely and securely come to our princely dominions, with their goods and merchandise, and ladings and other commodities by sea, in great and small vessels, and by land with their carriages and cattle, and that no man shall hurt them, but they may buy and sell without hindrance …

I've spoken several times with Prime Minister Erdogan about relations between Turkey and Israel. I'm pleased that, following President Obama's visit to Israel, talks between Israel and Turkey are again taking place and hope that relations between them will further improve in the interest of both countries.

To his credit, Obama has undertaken a truly ambitious effort to redefine the United States' view of the world and to reconnect the United States with the emerging historical context of the twenty-first century. He has done this remarkably well.

I hope any government formed in Egypt will understand there is no choice but to maintain the framework of international agreements, which include the peace agreement with Israel.

I'm in favor of dealing with Iran and dealing with the nuclear issue, but I'm not in favor of a bad deal.

John Kerry is going to have a rough tenure as secretary of state. But let's face it: whoever came after Hillary Clinton was going to have to deal with a foreign affairs press corps that has been sleeping for four years. From the moment Hillary entered Foggy Bottom, political reporters have treated their beloved secretary of state with kid gloves.

Prime Minister Abe's leadership diplomacy was truly amazing. I don't think I can match that.

Japan is not going to do anything with any country that harms the national interest.

We will cultivate relations with neighboring countries based on the foundation of the U.S.-Japan alliance.

Our foreign ministries will simply need to sort out some purely technical matters. I see no political restraints here. The same applies to economic matters. We, on our part, are ready. However, let me repeat once again, given that Japan has joined the anti-Russian sanctions, how ready is Japan and how can it do that without breaching its commitments to its allies? We do not know the answer. Only Japan itself knows the answer.

There is always a chance [for negotiations with Japan], or else it makes no sense to talk. How great is it? Right now, it is difficult for me to say, because this will depend, among other things, on the flexibility of our partners.

I've always been interested in foreign relations. It's my belief that study of history should be our preparation for understanding the present rather than an escape from it.

I think China will do nothing to obstruct it, and they probably will go along with it.