President Vladimir Putin considers patriotism the only national idea in Russia, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.
?€?We don't have and there can't be any other unifying idea, apart from patriotism,?€? Putin was quoted by Interfax as saying at the meeting of the Leaders Club, a union of entrepreneurs from 40 Russian regions.
?€?And that is a national idea,?€? he added.
Putin also pointed out that in order to implement patriotism as a national idea, it is not enough if ?€?the president or anyone else has only once said it,?€? the RBC news website reported.
?€?It is necessary to constantly talk about it, at all levels,?€? Putin was quoted by RBC as saying.
This is not the first time Putin has mentioned the importance of patriotism in Russia.
In June 2015, the president said that the ?€?sacred duty?€? of Russians is ?€?to be faithful to the great values of patriotism,?€? the RIA Novosti news agency reported at the time.
In October 2015, he claimed that patriotism and love for the motherland should be ?€?moral guideline?€? for teenagers in Russia, the TASS news agency reported at the time.