Medvedev's speech in the World Economic Forum (2007)
I believe democracy doesn't need any additional definitions, because humankind knows what democracy is and is able to distinguish real political democracy and the use of this word for hiding existing problems. So I think that when the concept of democracy is added to other adjectives it makes some analysts and commentators think it's more of a surrogate democracy. Despite my confidence in the existence of real democracy in Russia, to my mind this play on words doesn't really mean much. What matters is the real political situation in the country.
We aren’t trying to push anyone to love Russia, but we won't allow anyone to hurt Russia. We'll strive to win respect both for the citizens of Russia and for the country as a whole. Moreover, this shall be achieved not by using force but rather by our own behaviour and by our achievements.
In the 21st century we see Russia as a developed country with strong economy and as a reliable trade and political partner. It's very important because it lets us build international relations on a long-term basis.
Being part of global economy, we have to accept rules that are already introduced in the world. This means there will no more free natural gas for anyone.
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2007.