The Cold War was a boring thing. Nobody gets better for it. Tremendous money is wasted. Our lives get more difficult. We look at each other as enemies. What's good in that? In any case, I will do anything in my power in order to stop another Cold War, with the U.S. or any other country in the world.
When I get into a bad mood, I do sports and then everything's OK. And then I go and make decisions, however painful they may be.
Those who play badminton well take decisions quickly.
Business is always looking to avoid the toughest norms. But some do it in a civilized way, while others push it using uncivilized, brazen methods.
When I was a young student, I only listened to foreign music, mainly rock music and hard rock. Then I surprised myself by discovering ethnic music. Now I like to listen to music from different places, and in many situations. Even when you work, some ethnic music calms the nerves.
Any politician is to a certain degree a mentor. They preach something.
Considering I'm a young president, I wouldn't like to make an evaluation of myself. It's not my job to do that.
I believe in Father Frost. But not too deeply. But anyway, you know, I'm not one of those people who are able to tell the kids that Father Frost does not exist.
I don't want to live in a militarised country behind an iron curtain. It's boring. Been there and seen the movie. I've done that.
I always say that modernization is not an abstract thing; it's a very specific task.
I've never tried to measure myself on any scale. A person is more multifaceted than the label they often get stuck with. On the other hand someone's whole behaviour allows you to characterise them in a certain way. This person has liberal convictions, that person has conservative ones, this person is a radical socialist, and so on.
Stability and a prosperous life cannot be set off against a set of political rights and freedoms.
Let the people decide whom to vote for, who has more authority. And only people, only our citizens, are able to place the final emphasis, voting for this or that person or political force, or rejecting it. That's democracy.
