Putin Speaks to the XXII United Russia Congress

A short 23-minute address

As you see, the auditorium was filled for Putin’s address to the 22nd United Russia Party Congress. Putin has always tried to show Russians that he isn’t the creature of any political party and as such represents all Russians, which is an image many Russians accept. And he reinforces that image by conducting amicable meetings with all opposition parties several times annually that are publicized. The result is an overall togetherness politically on Russia’s direction. Yes, a few ultra-nationalists and liberals still exist, but they clearly get elected to office based on their ability to deliver to their constituency, which is the result of overall national policy. What is even better is no coercion was required to attain this cohesiveness unlike the Soviet Era.

A rare smile from Putin during an address.

Putin will rule as Russian President for about five-and-a-half more years until he retires at 77. He’s already staked out his vision for Russia’s future to that point and beyond, a level of foresight and planning rarely seen and most importantly agreed upon politically. Of course, Russia still has many problems socially, economically and geopolitically. And as Putin tirelessly says, Russia will always have problems, that’s why good governance is required. I’ve mentioned a few times that United Russia is far more than just a political party given the amount of social work it does. So, let’s read what Putin had to say to the political party that advocates for him:

(Addressing United Russia Chairman Dmitry Medvedev) Putin: Dear Dmitry Anatolyevich,

Colleagues! Friends!

Greetings to all participants, guests, and delegates of the XXII United Russia Congress.

First of all, I would like to thank you, all the members of the party, and our many supporters in all regions for your hard work in the interests of the citizens of our country, for your great and significant contribution to ensuring security and sovereignty.

Literally from the first day of the special military operation "United Russia" provides support to the fighters: introduces important legislative initiatives to create a system of legal and social guarantees for our heroes and their families; helps to restore the liberated regions; collects and delivers everything necessary to civilians; does a lot for veterans who have returned from the war zone, helps them realize themselves in civil professions, in public and political life.

All the parliamentary parties-–I want to emphasize this--all the parliamentary parties of the country support everything that is aimed at protecting people in the Donbas and Novorossiya, at ensuring firm guarantees of the security of the Fatherland for decades to come.

And United Russia, as a true leader, works exactly where the fate of the country is decided, together with our Army and Navy, with the collectives of defense industry enterprises that work around the clock, with millions of people who wholeheartedly support the front-line soldiers, with volunteers who form all the most necessary things, deliver them to their homes thousands of tons of humanitarian aid, food, medicines, household equipment, items of equipment and gear, concrete work, personal participation in volunteer initiatives to bring our victory closer.

Once again, I would like to point out that many deputies of the State Duma from United Russia, regional and municipal leaders at various levels, went to the front themselves to fight for their Homeland. This is a courageous, courageous step, worthy of all respect. Thank you.

I would like to add that today all regions and municipalities of the country provide comprehensive assistance to sponsored cities and districts in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions, residents of the Kursk region and other frontline, border regions of the Federation.

Such mutual assistance, genuine brotherhood in the face of trials, unity in the name of the Fatherland have developed historically. This is the character of our people. It would seem that the very simple word " we " is now filled with a special, unifying meaning.

"We do not abandon our own people"—this principle, a noble call, is clear and close to each of us. Because unity, awareness of Russia as our father's home, as a huge family of families–-this is our great value. It contains a colossal, indestructible power, our confidence in today and tomorrow.

I would like to thank everyone who contributes to protecting Russia's national interests both at the front and in the rear. And I ask the party to continue its active work, to step up efforts in all key areas, especially in terms of supporting all veterans of military operations, their relatives, especially families who have lost their loved ones. Special attention should be paid to those who have returned home after serious injuries.

Firmness, courage, managerial talent, proven and hardened leadership qualities of our front-line servicemen in the most difficult conditions, their sincere devotion to the Motherland and the people should be fully used in solving state tasks.

In my Address to the Federal Assembly and at the last congress of United Russia, I also spoke about the importance of educating and training strong, reliable and promising personnel. I will repeat it again today: this is not just a priority for the party–our future depends on it.

We need to support talented, purposeful people, be a center of attraction for them, involve them more widely in party projects of training and mentoring, so that such colleagues, heroes themselves can be an example for the younger generation, help others to realize themselves, and bring up a worthy shift.

I would like to pay special and additional attention to the Time of Heroes recruitment program, which was launched this year, and not only to the inclusion of its graduates in the overall work, but no less important, to the practice of broad, open, transparent competitive selection for participation in the program. And if we look more broadly, to create all the conditions for the promotion of our contemporaries, who proved themselves both at the front and in the rear, young people to leading, responsible positions in state and municipal administration, in the economy and social sphere, in public and party work.

As for the Time of Heroes program, here we deliberately avoided unnecessary formal restrictions: anyone who proved himself during a special military operation–-both a commander and a private--can apply. As you know, there are tens of thousands of applicants.

Now the second stream of the program is being formed, and the first one is still being trained. But its participants, without waiting for the presentation of a diploma, are already offered, entrusted with high posts and big tasks in civilian life. The demand for strong, strong-willed, hard-tested people who are ready to take responsibility is extremely high, and the country needs it.

It is no coincidence that more than three hundred of our comrades–in-arms, veterans of the special military operation, have already received the support of voters in various elections across the country this year. People trust such candidates, count on their integrity, honesty, and professionalism.

And it was United Russia that put forward the absolute majority of such candidates--it certainly did the right thing, responsibly, responding, first of all, to the public's request. And the point of this request is to raise the quality and efficiency requirements of work at all levels of government, so that municipalities, regional teams, and federal structures are joined by people who put a sense of duty and service to society and the country first.

The guys who passed the front proved what they are worth in battle. I am sure that they will not let you down in the future, they will fight for the result and achieve it. But, of course, I want to appeal to them: in order to work at this level, you need to have the appropriate competence, you need to move, develop, and not stand still.

In this regard, I propose and consider it necessary to expand the federal project Time of Heroes: to launch similar programs in the regions, as it has already been done in the Stavropol Territory, Belgorod, Voronezh, Ryazan, Samara, Tula Regions and in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. I ask the party to actively participate in this work. I really count on you that it will not be formal: you need to work, look for people, help them organize their training.

I recently met with guys who are recovering from serious injuries. One of them wants to participate in the program Time of Heroes, and the second one says that he understands that he is not ready yet, he says: "I understand that we need people who have certain experience–-public, state, municipal work. I don't have one. I don't even have an education," the young man said bluntly, so cute, "But I want to." Look for such people. Find them, help them get an education, get the appropriate experience.

Dear friends!

The agenda of the congress, as always, is rich. The current challenges and tasks of our leading party are discussed, but, of course, the main thing will be the analysis of the implementation of instructions and instructions of voters.

We will have to make serious, meaningful changes to the party's program--the people's program—supplement it with new, concrete commitments that United Russia assumes, and in fact approve its road map for the practical implementation of all our large-scale plans for the next six years. This is at a minimum, and the planning horizon should, of course, be much wider.

The time of challenges also opens up new opportunities for us, which we must implement together. And I am sure that we will not only be able to do this in the future, but we are already achieving serious, obvious results. Russia is developing, its economy is growing, and this is against the backdrop of unprecedented–-in the full, literal sense of the word—sanctions in the world's history, gross interference and pressure from the ruling elites of some states.

But no amount of blackmail or attempts from outside to prevent us will ever do anything. Russia is confident in itself; it feels its rightness and its strength. Therefore, all the tasks set by us in the short and long term will definitely be solved.

I count on your unconditional leadership in implementing new national projects. We discussed them in detail just recently, on December 5, at the Strategic Development Council. I am sure that you, your colleagues, party organizations in the regions, and the entire United Russia party will begin this hard work from the first days of the coming year.

Something else I would like to mention. Ready-to-launch national projects, a balanced federal budget–-all this, of course, is very important and significant. I would like to thank all of you for this overall result, for working together with the participation of the Parliament, the Government, the Presidential Administration, colleagues from the regions and other political parties. I know that the dialogue was not easy; we had to look for many decisions, solutions, and prove our position.

But there is something even more important. Our clear, ambitious, step-by-step program for the country's development relies on strong, truly nationwide support. I repeat: such solidarity, solidarity of people, faith in the country and in our victory are of great value, are born out of a common understanding of the fundamental, sovereign interests, the desire to ensure the security of the Motherland, to protect our sacred historical memory, spirituality, traditions, and those common values that the National Center is also called upon to preserve and promote. Russia, where we are now, where the congress is being held.

The very name of the party reflects the essence of our course, the image of the country we are building, we want to preserve and pass on to our descendants, the awareness that we are a unique, original civilization, a multi-ethnic and multi-religious people, which, despite all its internal diversity, was and will be united. An extremely important thing.

In all historical times, our opponents have tried to undermine this unity, and now they are again following the scenario worked out for others, trying to divide people, play a national or religious card.

We will strictly stop such provocations, respond to any threats and challenges, and are ready to fight back, as they say, on the entire front. And it passes not only along the line of military contact. A truly global and decisive confrontation affects all aspects of our life: culture, education, worldview, economy and technology.

United Russia should be at the forefront of this just struggle, using all its expert resources, political experience, authority, and best personnel in the interests of the people and the whole country.

It is the patriotic basis, one might say, the ideology of responsibility that has always distinguished United Russia–-a party that, since its creation, has not drifted from side to side, to the right or to the left, has not sought cheap popularity, but is strictly balanced and carefully treated both its words and its decisions. No matter how acute the controversy, it always respected its opponents, thereby cutting off destructive radicalism, any external pressure, and setting the constructive nature of the political and legislative process.

This shows the maturity of the party and its inherent advantage. It cannot be lost; it is unacceptable to exchange it for small things. On the contrary, it is necessary to protect, strengthen and build it up constantly.

People expect that both the new commitments and–-I would like to emphasize--all the promises made before, the plans, the people's program with which United Russia went to the parliamentary elections in 2021 will be fully implemented. And some of them–-even in a larger volume, where we see that the pace of collaboration and our capabilities allow it—and we, of course, will have to do this–-and, most importantly, if it meets the growing demands of people. I repeat: in this case, we need to set new large-scale tasks and benchmarks without delay.

I'll give you a concrete example. Let me remind you that by 2026, major repairs of school buildings should be carried out–-more than seven thousand three hundred objects. But now we plan that this program will be extended and significantly expanded. Namely, by 2031, major repairs should be completed in all schools where they are needed–this is about 11 thousand buildings. And of course we should do it.

I would like to note that not only the renewal of school infrastructure, but also many other major projects, such as social gasification, improvement of public spaces, modernization of post offices, are being implemented with the active participation of United Russia. The party was their author and inspirer, including, by the way, in the first national projects. Let me remind you that in 2005 we started with four such projects. Now there will be 20 of them.

And it's not just the number of projects, of course, but the fact that the country has changed qualitatively during this time–-that's what it's all about: the resources of the state, society, and business have grown by an order of magnitude, and our development agenda has acquired a truly comprehensive, systematic, strategic character, looking to the future, and for decades to come. We have such an opportunity, and, of course, we need to proceed from this.

The current pace allows us to move forward in all the key areas that determine Russia's sovereignty and competitiveness, achieve our national goals, and improve the quality of life in all regions of the country. It is the people, the well-being and prosperity of Russian families that are at the center of our plans.

This means that literally every step should be checked with the opinion of people, with what they think about the adopted laws and management decisions, how they assess the effectiveness of already introduced and new social support measures, the speed and quality of work for literally every object-–whether it is a kindergarten or a university campus, a sports field in the yard or a highway, an apartment building, or a cultural monument.

On a national scale, these are just individual figures in summaries and reports, but for a person—a specific person--this is the quality of his life, an indicator of both changes for the better and the capacity of the authorities.

The position and status of the majority party imposes increased demands on all its representatives, especially on people's deputies. It is necessary not only to have authority, as they say, in narrow circles, it is not enough to be competent in this or that area. A prerequisite for professional success should be direct communication with people, the ability to unite and lead like-minded people.

I suggest that this should be taken into account as one of the main criteria for the personal [effectiveness] of a party asset, especially when deciding on re-nomination to representative bodies at any level.

In general, United Russia not only can, but is obliged to build all its activities in dialogue with people, rely on all our supporters, the Young Guard [of United Russia], work closely with partners from the Popular Front, with the All for Victory! and Defenders of the Fatherland foundations, social NGOs and the volunteer movement, with all public institutions that are gaining a new quality today.

I ask you to think about how to use the broad network of primary branches of the party more effectively. Constant, well-established feedback from people is their area of responsibility. It allows you to see the real dynamics of transformation in the context of an individual city or village and not to kick off, sorry, where to go, do not send requests, problems, and people's wishes to bureaucratic authorities. [No kicking the can down the road, passing the buck, etc.]

You need to do it yourself—as much as possible from each level, but you need to try, as we say in the people, in all the shoulder blades. If necessary, we can offer systematic, well–thought-out solutions, reach a higher level, and we need to fight for this. We need to fight.

I just said that we have new opportunities. This is true: opportunities appear because the country is developing and much has been done. Now, as you know, we are preparing for the big [press] conference, and for the Direct line. I got acquainted with the questions that are coming in. I think it's no secret to you: a lot has been done, of course, but there are still problems, as people say, a car and a small cart. Do you understand? We have no moral right to rest on our laurels. You need to work hard.

I have already said that at the federal level, the achievement of national development goals will be assessed not in tons, not in kilometers, but primarily through a system of sociological indicators. But I want to emphasize once again: nothing, no generalized statistics can replace personal contact, direct, honest conversation with people. It is necessary for both the state and the party itself, and it’s the basis and guarantee of trust on the part of tens of millions of Russians.

Dear colleagues!

United Russia has many achievements and truly large-scale projects of its own that have already been implemented. Undoubtedly, the contribution of all constructive political forces and various parliamentary parties is important for the development of the country and society, for joint and consolidated work. Behind them are also the voices of millions of our people. But today–-at a new, difficult historical stage--it is United Russia that has a special responsibility and burden.

I am convinced that our largest, systemically important party will do everything possible to further strengthen the state, our sovereignty, constitutional order and social harmony, and will take an active and determined part in the large-scale, creative work for the development of the country, our Motherland, and a united and strong Russia.

I wish you all the best. Thank you. [My Emphasis]

“[T]he party's program--the people's program …. in the interests of the people and the whole country…. most importantly, if it meets the growing demands of people…. and improve the quality of life in all regions of the country. It is the people, the well-being and prosperity of Russian families that are at the center of our plans.

“This means that literally every step should be checked with the opinion of people,… United Russia not only can, but is obliged to build all its activities in dialogue with people.”

Not by accident was the word people used 35 times by Putin. Those are the words of a genuine populist, not a faux one like Trump. And what about Putin being what would be classified as a Classic New Deal Liberal very similar to Henry Wallace who sprang from Classical Conservative roots? Of that, I have no doubts. Communist or Communalist or Mutualist or Social Justice Advocate? Is Russia composed of exceptional people who are in some manner superior to all other people? Putin said:

“[W]e want to preserve and pass on to our descendants, the awareness that we are a unique, original civilization, a multi-ethnic and multi-religious people, which, despite all its internal diversity, was and will be united. An extremely important thing.”

But are those exceptional traits? Each civilization is unique, but is that in itself enough of a criterion to make it exceptional? My answer is no. Why? Because within Russia is a grand diversity, “multi-ethnic and multi-religious” that recognize all as Russians not as a hodge-podge of Others that are incapable of solidarity, of becoming united. Yes, there are some, a small percentage, that are Others within Russia, but for the most part they are seen as extreme and kept away from power sources.

It should be clear to those who read Putin’s speech as to the quality of people he aims at developing into Russia’s future leaders. It should also be equally clear how Putin views Russia—not as a State, but as a collective of people striving as one to better the conditions of all. Was Putin always like that; and if not, when did he change? I’d very much like to ask him that question directly, but my own best guess is that the kernel was always there within him and only needed to mature via life-experience. Clearly, the Putin of his initial presidency was rather different from the Putin that was elected again in 2012 and reelected twice since. How much difference did the evolution of United Russia into what it is today apply? The formulation of Team Putin with its loyal cadre at the center? And of course, external events—being attacked constantly by NATO throughout his entire life? Isn’t the fact that Putin seeks people molded by the most critical crisis most will ever face—war—as the prime trait for future Russian leaders similar in the manner he was molded by the crises he had to face a big hint. If you’ve read the interviews with such people I’ve reported about, you’ll have an idea of the hunger they have to further serve the people of Russia and themselves. IMO, the development of people qualified to properly serve the people of Russia in its future will/ought to be seen as Putin’s greatest contribution. The nuts and bolts of development and its planning are simple when compared to the proper development of capable human capital and leadership. All of that isn’t lost on the Global Majority when it compares the leadership and governance qualities of Russia and China with the West.

Putin mentioned the upcoming Direct Line event which is a marathon Q&A session with Russians and media that often lasts four hours. This is the feedback Putin mentions that’s so critical to good governance. If you read the AI Conference report, you’ll recall how that tech is enabling greater citizen feedback to all levels of Russian federalism, while also improving the performance of bureaucracies. That coming reality is one reason why Putin told the United Russia delegates that their future will be more challenging because the level of feedback will be much higher and thus the demand for solving problems will increase. As a closing thought, think about the relationship you have with whatever political party you support. Does it in-turn support you? From what you read above, can you discern the vast difference in governing philosophy since in Russia all political parties must perform like United Russia if they want citizen support? Can those of us in the West say that if we want government to serve us, the people, then we need political parties that support us in return for our support—that perform with deeds first and then words?

It’s not just Putin that’s turned Russia around. Clearly, it’s a joint effort that’s deeply involved United Russia and the other political parties. IMO, in comparison with the West, it’s that aspect of Russian society/culture/civilization that makes it exceptional.

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