Official website of the President of Russia

Документ   /

Opening the meeting, Dmitry Medvedev called on participants not to panic and to monitor the current financial market situation carefully. The President stated that there are many possibilities for how events may unfold. “Nevertheless, we must not allow ourselves to panic; the situation is stable,” Dmitry Medvedev remarked. The President suggested “discussing the current situation to ensure that everyone understands that the Government is working, the Central Bank is monitoring the situation, and the Presidential Executive Office is helping,” although he admitted that this is a “tense moment” for global finances.

“My goal is to direct the Central Bank and the Government to use all available tools (and overall, the Government has done well in the time of the crisis), so that these tools do not become dull and are used when necessary, if they are needed,” the President said.

If they are not needed then, according to Dmitry Medvedev, “we will be able to breathe easily” and continue working, including within the framework of modernisation.

Participants in the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina, Central Bank Chairman Sergei Ignatiev, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Vladislav Surkov, Presidential Aide Arkady Dvorkovich and Deputy Prime Minister and Government Chief of Staff Vyacheslav Volodin.