Russian President Vladimir Putin, with 20 years of leadership.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS

I disagree with being called Tsar.

According to Dmitry Peskov, the president's press secretary, on March 26 in Moscow, President Putin will hold meetings with business leaders from various cities. In particular, the president will participate in an emergency G20 summit via online format to discuss the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy.

With such a packed schedule, President Putin will have to exercise careful control, as this has long been his way of life and work.

President Putin wore protective gear when visiting a medical facility on March 25th in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: RT

In his 20 years in power (15 as president and 5 as prime minister), Putin has never had a "peaceful year." No two years have been alike. The country's and the world's landscape has constantly changed, presenting new problems and challenges. International conflicts, the war on terrorism, economic crises, and climate change are just a few of the many challenges that have demanded and continue to demand swift "answers."

Despite the general turmoil, Russia continues to develop. Under President Putin's "era," there have been institutional changes and a more streamlined political system, and the country's defense capabilities have been enhanced.

President Putin wields immense power. However, he disagrees with the notions that he is a Tsar. In an interview for the project "20 Questions for Vladimir Putin," the president explained that a Tsar issues decrees, while a president is someone who does the daily work.

"The Tsar sits on his throne, looking down and saying, 'Here, I am the one giving orders, and everyone must obey.' As for us, let's just try wearing a crown and looking in the mirror!" - President Putin said.

President Putin working with the Russian government. Photo: AAP

Putin's workload is immense, a level of stress he himself compared to slave labor on a farm after his first two presidential terms. However, over the past two decades, both his friends and enemies have relentlessly questioned how all this enormous workload can be accomplished by one person.

Shaping your own trends

Despite holding a position that demands high responsibility and maximum public exposure, President Putin maintains a certain degree of simplicity. While his biography is well-known for mentioning his two daughters, he only casually refers to their presence. He believes that putting everything "on screen" is impossible when discussing the Russian leader.

Following mainstream modern trends is not President Putin's style. He prefers to shape them. This is evidenced by the fact that the Russian leader is increasingly asserting his position on the international stage.

President Putin discusses matters with leaders of the "Normandy" group in Paris. Photo: Getty.

For example, in 2003, to counter the outbreak of war in Iraq, President Putin brought powerful allies such as French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder into his "orbit." In 2007, President Putin delivered a famous speech in Munich, Germany, making a powerful declaration about Moscow's position on the international stage. The speech was considered by experts to be "ahead of its time."

Twenty years later, before many countries began using "national position" as a standard vocabulary term in addressing international issues, Russia had already taken the lead and regained global recognition as a leading player on the world stage, whether this was met with approval or disapproval.

President Putin, who has consistently called for a diplomatic solution to any conflict, has declared unequivocally and resolutely that Russia will not confront anyone, even if a country seeks to provoke a new armed conflict with Moscow.

"There is still a lot of important work ahead."

With his extensive experience and numerous important positions, President Putin has surpassed his more prominent counterparts around the world. A study indicates that Chinese President Xi Jinping (in office since 2013), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (since 2005), and US President Donald Trump (since 2016) cannot compare to President Vladimir Putin.

Among the top leaders, President Putin is second only to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has led the republic for nearly 26 years.

President Putin delivers the 2020 State of the Union address. Photo: TASS

President Putin has admitted that he never initially thought his time in power could last so long. However, when mentioning the possibility of "being out of the race," the President demonstrated an awareness and responsibility for "what is happening and what is about to happen."

On December 31, 1999, Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin, announced his resignation and appointed Vladimir Putin as acting president. At that time, the only thing former President Yeltsin asked Putin was, "Take care of Russia."

On March 26, 2000, early elections were held in Russia. Among the 11 candidates, Vladimir Putin emerged victorious with 52.94% of the vote.

The very next day, March 27, 2000, future head of state Vladimir Putin declared: "There is still much important work ahead. There are many issues to explain, many things that will be controversial. But I can envision what needs to be done next."

Since then, the world has witnessed many changes in Russia. For President Putin, the most important thing is not what has been accomplished, but what needs to be done in the future. And President Putin sees this as the main driving force in his governance of the country.

Vladimir Putin was first elected President of Russia in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.

According to the Russian Constitution, Putin was not eligible to run for election in 2008 and served as Prime Minister of Russia. That same year, the Constitution was amended to extend the presidential term to six years.

In 2012, Putin became President of Russia again and was re-elected once more in March 2018.