Printer Friendly Page

Address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (excerpted)
President Vladimir V. Putin
The Kremlin
May 26, 2004

[…]

Undoubtedly, modernization of the army is a task of national importance. We need effective, well-equipped and modern Armed Forces for reliable protection of the country. So that we can easily solve internal socio-economic tasks.

We should secure our country from any forms of military and political pressure and potential foreign aggression. And thus modernizing the Russian Armed Forces remains a very important task, including equipping strategic nuclear forces with the most modern systems of strategic armaments. We have everything needed for this. And also, we need to equip other types of the Armed Forces with the appropriate tactical and operational weapons. I would like to note once more: an adequate quality of weapons is the characteristic that directly determines the degree of battle readiness of a modern army.

We are also beginning reform of social guarantees for soldiers. A mortgage system will be created for them. Three years after joining this system, a soldier will be able to receive housing on mortgage conditions.

I also think that military education for training specialists of unique professions that are required by a modern army can also be gained at civil institutes of higher education.

I would like to stress: for successful modernization of the entire military organization of the state, we need to know precisely how to spend considerable sums of money – including providing soldiers with housing, military medicine and education. Furthermore, the army and other law-enforcement departments have an enormous amount of property. And this also needs to be evaluated and managed effectively. A transparent military economy is the necessary condition for reform.

All these steps should increase the prestige and attractiveness of military service.

I would like to remind the Defence Ministry and the Government as a whole: the volumes of funds spent, the interests of the country’s defensive capacity, and also the important social parameters of reform make civil control over the effectiveness of changes in the army essential.

* * *

Dear colleagues,

The growth of the economy, political stability and the strengthening of the state have had a beneficial effect on Russia’s international position. We have been able to a significant degree to make our foreign policy both dynamic and pragmatic.

It is clear that the scale of the tasks that the country faces has now changed substantially. And we need to make our foreign policy adequate to the goals and capabilities of the new stage of development. In other words, we need to use the tools of foreign policy for a more appreciable practical return in the economy, and in the realization of important national tasks.

We will continue to develop political and economic dialogue with the U.S.A. and with such major partners as China, India and Japan, and we will work with other countries. Border and interregional cooperation are also a significant reserve of development of trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian ties.

It is clear that a necessary condition for solving these tasks is the effective security of Russia, and the inviolability of its borders. And an adequate response to the most serious threats of the 21st century – international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts – can only be provided by the united efforts of the international community, relying on the tools of the UN and international law.

[…]