In 1998, Vladimir Putin headed the Federal security service of the Russian Federation. From March to August 1999, he performed the duties of Secretary of the security Council of Russia. August 16 was approved as Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. But already on 31 December of the same year, began to perform the duties of the President of the Russian Federation. Vladimir Putin on 26 March 2000 he was elected President and began his duties on may 7, 2000 For a second term, Mr Putin was elected on 14 March 2004 (until 2008). May 7, 2008 ceased to perform the duties of President and became Chairman of the party "United Russia". And the next day, the new head of the state Dmitry Medvedev has signed a statement on the appointment of Putin as Prime Minister. But in 2012, the politician returned to the presidency powers. As soon as Putin came to power in 2000, he approved the foreign policy Concept of the Russian Federation. The main direction of Putin's foreign policy, according to the agreement, reads: "Russia must be an active player in the international arena that it is necessary to maintain a proper image of the state". For seven years the President participated in the summit "Big eight". Politician acted in Okinawa (Japan), in Genoa (Italy), Heiligendamm (Germany) and Kananaskis (Canada). In 2004, Putin's foreign policy is still actively developed. The President officially visited China where he signed an agreement on the transfer of Islands Tarabarova and Big Ussuri island. The President often says of the public and journalists that the destruction of the Soviet Union considers geopolitical catastrophe and calls for the return of the Russian Federation of the status of the most powerful nation in the world. However, until 2004, Putin's foreign policy is of little interest, the President was busy with domestic policy of the country. In the same year he cancelled Yeltsin's law on production sharing. After the cancellation of huge sums of money from oil and gas began to flow to the state Treasury of the Russian Federation. Many scientists believe that this cancellation led the Russian Federation of independence to the present, and laid the Foundation for the country's sovereignty. But such a position did not suit the West. In 2004, Russia was the wave of terrorist attacks involving Chechen militants. In order to prevent terrorist attacks, were the reforms in the police and the FSB, as well as intensified counter-terrorism measures. Putin's foreign policy for 2016 year difficult: the unresolved conflict on the territory of Ukraine, and the lack of a positive result of the Minsk agreement, and the extension of sanctions by the European Union. In 2007 the foreign policy of President Putin finally walked away from international strategies of Russia's first President. In the same year at the Munich security conference and the political course in Europe the President gave a speech that quoted from the media around the world. The application consisted of these points:
In international relations impossible unipolar model of world order. United States impose its own policy around the world, sometimes even by force. The question of the necessity of military intervention is decided only by the UN. The political actions of the US and the President is very aggressive. NATO does not respect international agreements. The OSCE is a convenient tool to bring benefits to the Northern Alliance. Russia will continue to conduct foreign policy solely in its own interests. Despite such a loud statement of the head of Board of the Russian Federation, some countries supported his speech. But most of the world's politicians acknowledged Putin's one of the most aggressive political figures in the world.