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The key topic was the launch of new national projects aimed at achieving Russia’s national development goals for the period to 2030 and beyond to 2036.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon.

In 2025, new national projects were launched. In fact, they represent key and basic tools for creating and shaping the country’s future. They consolidate the efforts of all levels of government, business and research circles, our development institutions, and public associations in order to achieve national goals.

As you may be aware, these goals have been calculated through 2030 and beyond to 2036, and set in areas such as demography, the environment, improving the well-being of citizens, improving the business climate and creating conditions for self-actualisation, the digitalisation of governance processes, public services, the service sector, and so on.

Of course, the big, system-wide work within the national projects is not done from scratch. Based on the results of the previous national projects, even amid the difficult external conditions, we managed to achieve noticeable positive changes in the country’s life, to do much for the steady and progressive development of the economy and the social sphere, and to improve the quality of life of Russian families.

These findings have been confirmed by the Accounts Chamber’s analysis, among others. The Chamber has examined in detail the implementation of national projects from 2019 to 2024, prepared its assessments and recommendations, which, of course, should be taken into account by the Government and our colleagues in the constituent entities of the Federation.

Colleagues, we hold meetings of our Council twice a year. As agreed at our previous meeting in December, today we will assess the start of implementing new national projects and their initial, ongoing results.

Let me stress that at this initial stage, it is crucial to fully establish the legal and regulatory framework for these national projects, thereby setting transparent working parameters clear for all participants – primarily regions, municipalities, contractors, and local implementers. Equally critical is ensuring their stable, uninterrupted financing.

The pace and quality of national projects hinge on how these issues are resolved. Let me reiterate: standards must remain uncompromising from the outset – neither simplifying objectives nor lowering benchmarks to convenient thresholds but rather establishing ambitious yet achievable goals while mobilising all available resources to attain them decisively.

In this context, a few words about the quality of national project planning. Statistical data indicates that certain 2030 targets have already been met in this year’s first quarter. This is undoubtedly a positive result.

For instance, infant mortality has reached a new historic low. Russia now firmly ranks among nations with the most effective neonatal health care systems.

Similarly, the proportion of families receiving child support benefits proactively – that is, without the need to fill out applications, submit requests, and so forth – has now come very close to 100 percent, even though the 2030 target was somewhat more modest.

On the one hand, these results are certainly commendable and, I believe we can objectively say, inspire pride in the specialists and work teams contributing to this effort. On the other hand, we already need to set new goals. I emphasise – objectively assessing our capabilities yet understanding that we can achieve more.

There are other examples as well. They indicate that we must enhance the quality of planning and that not all factors are being accounted for in a timely manner.

For example, the national transport mobility project has been launched. It is being implemented for just a few months. However, the government suggests we should review its funding, reducing this year’s expenses, as well as financing for means of production – cut it too, and significantly.

It is clear that reasons for this may be different, and they are; including the fact that expenses can be transferred from the current year to the next one, and that is what happens in day-to-day work. To tell you the truth, it happens quite often. But the question arises about the quality of the planning that I just mentioned.

Let me stress: we are talking about national projects, designed to strengthen our technological sovereignty, and these are such areas as aircraft manufacturing, robotics and the like.

As I have already said, this year will largely determine Russia’s technological development. It is important to clearly define the areas that will set the pace of growth today and in the long term, as well as development dynamics of industries, regions, and the entire country. We need to clearly determine the areas where genuine global technological leadership must be ensured – the leadership of companies, research centres, and enterprises.

I would like to stress that specialised national projects must be aimed at achieving technological leadership not merely in name, but in substance. I ask you to thoroughly analyse this matter ahead of drafting the budget for the next three years.

Furthermore, these specialised national projects must be geared towards enhancing technological sovereignty not just in isolated elements, but across entire industries. Such instructions have already been issued, and I would like to hear a report on their implementation in the near future.

Another point that is both fundamental and evident: new technological solutions should not be developed only to be shelved. We are all well aware of this, and we discussed this many times. These solutions must be widely adopted and replicated across all sectors. Most importantly, their application must lead to increased competitiveness of Russian goods and services and boost the national economy overall. They should also help make life better and more comfortable for our people.

In this regard, I ask all my colleagues in the Government to personally monitor the introduction of new technologies in your areas of responsibility. The key objective here is to adapt the regulatory framework, placing an emphasis on experiments, testing and introducing promising innovations. Colleagues, please expedite the approval of relevant action plans.

This matter is especially critical in the development of such sectors as unmanned aerial systems. We are all acutely aware of the risks and consequences should we fall behind in their advancement, particularly when it comes to counter-drone technologies.

Let me note that over the recent years our engineers and designers have made noticeable progress. Russian-made drone prototypes and production models were recently displayed at an exhibition in Moscow. They were viewed, inter alia, by foreign leaders, who visited Russia during the celebrations of the 80^th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

In certain segments, Russian remotely piloted air systems are already the most advanced in the world, surpassing foreign counterparts. Some of them are copied by foreigners. A special national project is being implemented with a view to increase the output and enhance the quality of unmanned aerial vehicles. We will discuss it today as well.

Our aerospace industry must also consolidate its position as a technological flagship. We are proud of the unique achievements by our Soviet and Russian scientists, cosmonauts and all space industry specialists. And we will certainly develop bold and long-term plans in this sector, set the agenda for its comprehensive development for a confident work of rocket builders, spaceship designers and their colleagues from adjacent sectors.

The specialised space national project has been prepared and its consideration will also be part of our agenda. We met not long ago and talked about all this.

And one more subject, in conclusion. Last December, we talked about the need to include in the national projects some measures of the Far Eastern and Arctic cities’ master plans. I know that such work is underway. In the near future, the Government must approve the long-term development plans for 16 key cities in the Arctic.

Meanwhile, there are a number of issues that require our special attention. They are primarily related to financing. This is natural, we have discussed all this. In this connection, I think it possible to support the proposal by the Finance Ministry and speak about allocating a special separate maximum permissible amount just for implementing the master plans of the Far Eastern and Arctic cities. It should gradually reach the level of at least five percent of the expenses spent on relevant state programmes in the next six years. This will not require additional funding in general. We just need to look carefully at the programmes and target them at developing this particular region, which is strategically important for Russia.

Let us begin.

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