Putin called for strengthening internal stability and the solidity of the Russian state during a meeting with candidates from the governing party United Russia at the Kremlin, two weeks before the elections to the State Duma, scheduled for September 20. The Russian President, who is leading the party's campaign for the first time since 2007 under the motto "All for Victory," argued that "despite all the difficulties and threats," it is necessary to follow the path of strengthening Russia in accordance with the Constitution. The Kremlin seeks to renew its two-thirds constitutional majority in parliament in a context of economic pressures arising from the armed conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian leader stressed the urgency of maintaining national cohesion to support the military contingents deployed in Ukraine and the need to protect Russian territory in the face of intensifying Ukrainian drone incursions. Putin announced that he would instruct the Defense Ministry to analyze and apply more broadly the tactical methods gathered in the border province of Kursk. In the same event, he extended wishes of success to the main candidates, including the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, and the commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
The Kremlin has scheduled negotiating rounds with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, mandated by President Donald Trump to explore dialogue alternatives regarding the conflict. This meeting occurs at a time when polls by the independent Levada Center show that 59 percent of Russian citizens advocate for the immediate start of peace negotiations, while only 31 percent support the continuation of active military operations.
Despite the tight control of the state apparatus, Putin's popularity has dropped more than 13 points in recent months, due to widespread fatigue with the war effort, cyber blockades, and fuel distribution problems. The United Russia party hovers around 35 percent in official polls, although independent projections point to approximately 20 percent of voting intentions. Meanwhile, the judicial system sidelined the liberal party Yabloko from the electoral race, the only legal party to advocate for peace in Ukraine, rejecting its candidacies and resulting in the detention of two of its leaders in Moscow.
