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Official website of the President of Russia

Transcripts   /

Presidential Address to the Nation

March 16, 2018

The incumbent President of the Russian Federation addressed the nation ahead of the March 18 presidential election.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia, friends,

We will have a presidential election this Sunday, March 18. As the incumbent president, I believe it is important to address you ahead of the voting.

Under the Constitution, people are the only source of power in the country. There is great meaning in this legal formula. The path we choose and the future of Russia and of our children depend on the will of the people and each Russian citizen.

Which candidate to choose, and how to realise one’s right to a free choice? The decision is a personal matter. But if you avoid taking a decision, the fundamental choice will be made without due regard for your opinion.

People in Russia always decided their future themselves, and they always acted according to their conscience, their personal understanding of truth and justice, as well as their love for the country. This is part of our national character, which the world knows about.

I am confident that every one of you is concerned about the country’s future. This is why I ask you to go to the polling stations this Sunday. Use your power to choose the future of our great country, Russia, which all of us hold dear.

March 16, 2018