We don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. Freedom is like that. It’s like air. When you have it, you don’t notice it.

There still is a lot of tears and sweat to spend before we identify the forms of business cooperation which are worthy of the two great nations,

It must include competent, fresh people with initiative.

We will bring order both to Dagestan and other republics in the North Caucasus,

It’s not democracy when a dictator is walking around with a sword in his hand. This is inadmissible.

I didn’t know that this strike would be carried out. It turns out the whole world didn’t know it. That is even more dishonorable,

It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical: At such moments every new word and fresh thought is more precious than gold. Indeed, people must not be deprived of the...

Russia is deeply upset by NATO’s military action against sovereign Yugoslavia, which is nothing more than open aggression,

Everybody will pay taxes and there will be no exceptions.

Today, on the last day of the outgoing century, I resign,

It is a significant sum for those who invest in Russia.

We all have an equal interest in stability and security throughout Europe. The years the OSCE has existed, and particularly this year, have given rise to great expectations and at the same time to powerful...

My soul aches when I think about hungry soldiers, unpaid officers and their families, who have been suffering for years without a home of their own,

There should be confidence that investors do not flee but rather come to Russia. The bank and finance ministry have enough reserves today to hold on.

The patience of the public and of the president is not limitless,

Every day new problems which need to be addressed urgently are building up, … Those that already exist are becoming more acute.

Let’s not talk about Communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the sky.

I will not step down, I will not resign, … I will work to the end of my term in office under the constitution. In the year 2000, there will be presidential elections under the...

Today is a very responsible moment, since we have been left without a government for two weeks. That means lost money and lost opportunities,

Viktor (Chernomyrdin’s) main advantages are decency, honesty, and thoroughness. I think these qualities will be the decisive argument in the presidential election,

We don’t have Western priorities. We are equally oriented to the west, the east, the north and the south. We want friendship with all.

Various rumors have been in circulation in the mass media concerning my trip to Switzerland at a time when we have problems here in Russia which need to be solved. Even if I go on...

The most important thing is that Milosevic agreed to sit at the negotiating table with the Kosovo Albanians.

You have no right to criticize Russia for Chechnya, … We are obliged to put an end to the spread of the cancer of terrorism.

In Russia, we are shaken by the NATO bombardment of the embassy of the Chinese People’s Republic in Belgrade. This is an open outrage, and there is not and cannot be any justification for it,

I shouldn’t be in the way of the natural course of history. To cling to power for another six months when the country has a strong person worthy of becoming president — why should I...

You have lost the truest and most devoted friend. The most outstanding person, the most wonderful woman, a loving wife and mother has passed away,

While maintaining our nuclear potential at the proper level, we need to devote more attention to developing the entire range of means of information warfare.

A pause is good, but it’s not enough,

There will be no devaluation — that’s firm and definite, … I’m not simply fantasizing. Everything has been calculated. Every day, work is done to control the situation in this area.

Before passing the Land Code, they should have looked into the Russian constitution,

The aggravation of relations with our neighbors in the name of recreating the old union will turn into tragedy.

A man must live like a great brilliant flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is far better than a mean little flame.

we won’t let Kosovo be touched.

That doesn’t mean that I abandon my constitutional powers to appoint ministers and government members. No, I don’t,

Only by pooling our efforts can Russia and the United States find solutions to the most complicated international and bilateral problems, … promote the formation of a stable and secure system of international relations.

I don’t like the continuing monopolistic policy of the United States.

You have no right to criticise Russia over Chechnya.

Despite Russia’s resolute actions, NATO military action against Yugoslavia continues to escalate,

I’m doing everything possible to put an end to military actions,

Of course we want to be a full member

We have done a lot in the past, … I think this meeting will be effective and will bring good results.

I am satisfied, … We have dragged our feet a bit. But the main thing is we have decided to approve the budget in its first reading.

The crisis in the Balkans demands not emotional evaluations, but well-balanced and decisive actions,

I think these qualities will be decisive during presidential elections in 2000, … decent, honest and thorough.

Everything that is aimed at countries present here, … all of those weapons are going to have their warheads removed.

We are not taking part in this war, we didn’t start this war,

You can build a throne with bayonets, but you can’t sit on it for long.

We believe that gradually, as we have planned, without hurry, this problem can be overcome,

It’s an enormous issue for us, for your businessmen, for us domestically and internationally. We worked long and hard on that tax code and, in the end, we succeeded in getting it through,