Putin Takes Office for Second Six-Year Term as Russia’s President

MOSCOW- Vladimir Putin has officially assumed office as Russia’s President, Constitutional Court Chairman Valery Zorkin announced after Putin accepted the presidential emblem and took the presidential oath in the St. Andrew Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Itar Tass reported.

This is Putin’s fourth term as head of state. His first two terms lasted four years each. The head of state’s tenure was extended to six years after the Russian Constitution had been amended. Putin’s first six-year term began in 2012, while the second term of office will end on May 7, 2024. According to Article 81 of Russia’s Constitution, an individual cannot serve as president for more than two consecutive terms.

Putin: We All One Big Team, Which Can Solve Most Complicated Tasks

Following the oath-taking ceremony, President Putin made a speech in which he expressed certainty that Russia would manage to achieve a breakthrough, as the whole country is “one big team, which can solve any tasks”.

“We need breakthroughs in all spheres of life. I am deeply convinced that such a breakthrough can only be provided by a free society that perceives everything new and all advanced and rejects injustice, stagnation, dense protection and bureaucratic deadness – all that binds people, prevents them from fully revealing themselves, realize themselves, their talents, and therefore limits the aspiration to the future of our entire country,” Putin stated, according to Sputnik.

 The president characterized the present time as a turbulent era, noting that “the way forward is not easy.”

“The way forward is not easy, it is always a difficult search. History does not forgive only one thing: indifference and inconsistency, relaxation and complacency. Especially today – at a turning point, an era of turbulent changes throughout the world,” he stated.

The president described his principle goals during the six-year term.

“Our aim is Russia for people, a country of opportunities for the self-realization of every person. I am deeply convinced that there is absolutely a direct connection between the big national tasks and the daily demands of citizens, because only in this way can we create the necessary conditions for creation and development, and – very importantly – the atmosphere of mutual responsibility, support, and trust in the society,” Putin said during the inauguration.

He compared Russian to Phoenix:

“For more than a thousand years of history, Russia has often faced the epochs of turmoil and trials and has always, always revived, like Phoenix, gaining such an altitudes, which were beyond power of others, were considered unattainable, and for our country, on the contrary, they became a new springboard, a new historical frontier for a further, powerful leap forward,” Putin stated at the inauguration.

Russia Open for Dialogue, Will Promote Investment, Cultural Projects Jointly With Partners

“We are open to dialogue. We will, jointly with our partners, actively promote integration projects, build a business, humanitarian, cultural and scientific ties with our partners. We speak for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with all states in the interests of peace and stability on our planet,” Putin said at his inauguration ceremony.

The Russian president spoke about Russian citizens, saying that he would focus his efforts to ensure every Russian family if prosperous in every way. He as well spoke about Russian young people, expressing hope they will become the change leaders.

“By combining efforts of everybody, who cares about our country, its future, we will achieve our goals, achieve breakthroughs in science and technology, together we implement large-scale plans for the renewal of cities and villages, development of all our regions,” Putin said.

“Russia is a strong, active, influential participant of the international life. The country’s security and defense capabilities are reliably secured, and we will continue to pay required and constant attention to these issues,” the head of state said.

At the same time, he stressed that Russia stands for “equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with all states in the interests of peace and stability on our planet.”

French, Germans, Italians Name Putin as ‘Most Powerful World Leader’ – Poll

The majority of respondents in Italy, Germany and France said they consider Russian President Vladimir Putin to be the most powerful world leader, with US President Donald Trump enjoying similar support in the United States and the UK, but coming in second in continental Europe, according to Sputnik.

During an opinion poll conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP), over 5,000 respondents from Europe in the United States were asked the following question: “Whom do you consider to be the most powerful leader in the world right now?”

Over a third of respondents in France (34 percent), Germany (34 percent) and Italy (38 percent) answered “Vladimir Putin,” with about a quarter of respondents in these three countries replying “Donald Trump.”

In the United States and Britain, however, this trend has been reversed, with 43 percent of American and 33 percent of British respondents favoring Donald Trump, while 23 American and 26 percent of British respondents named Putin.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ranked third in terms of popularity among the respondents, with 19 percent of Germans and 17 percent of Frenchmen choosing his name as their answer.

H.M