United Russia Party Congress

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Medvedev, delegates, guests of the congress, friends.

The congress of United Russia, our leading political party, is taking place at a difficult time - it would be safe to say that it is a pivotal moment for our country and a period of radical and systemic transformation of the entire world.

We see that regional conflicts are multiplying, and new artificial obstacles for normal, mutually beneficial cooperation between states and peoples are emerging: this applies to the economy, technology, science, and even culture and sports, and humanitarian cooperation, in general.

At the same time, without exaggeration, Russia is experiencing unprecedented pressure from the Western elites. They are unable to inflict a strategic defeat on us or win a victory on the battlefield; their attempts to destabilise the political situation and sow internal unrest are failing too. Consequently, they keep encouraging the Kiev regime, which they have chosen as a battering ram in their struggle against Russia, without any sympathy for the Ukrainian people. The regime is retreating along the entire contact line hence its recent terrorist activities. How else can one describe targeted attacks on civilians and civilian facilities, and practically open recruitment of renegades within our country to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks?

To be continued.