Putin, Vladimir

1. The president of Russia since 2000. Putin served in the KGB, the secret police for the former Soviet Union, then entered politics after the collapse of communism. In 1999, Russian president Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin prime minister, his fifth in seventeen months. After Yeltsin resigned the presidency, Putin was elected president in 2000. Although he has opposed American president George W. Bush's plans for an antimissile defense system, he has cooperated with Bush in responding to the threat of terrorism, which Russia has faced in Chechnya.

Example Sentences

After being given the floor, the US president said he had a "fantastic relationship with President Putin. Vladimir," switching to the Russian leader's first name.

From BBC

“It is Putin, Vladimir Putin, who is to blame — period,” Biden said.

From Washington Post

But Sergey Nakul, who is spreading the message of the Gospel in the middle of artillery fire, has one message for Putin: "Vladimir … repent."

From Fox News

For all these reasons, at this early stage, I will venture only one prediction about Putin: Vladimir, the first day of this war was the best day of the rest of your life.

From New York Times

“I thought he and President Putin, Vladimir Putin, were very reasonable,” Trump said.

From Reuters