Official website of the President of Russia

Документ   /

The agenda includes regional experience, measures to support student families, the introduction of corporate demographic standards, the protection of reproductive health, and proposals on addressing housing problems of families with children.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

Today, we are holding the first meeting of the Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy. We will evaluate what has been accomplished, and outline further steps in our joint work.

I want to emphasise right away that supporting families and creating conditions that enable the birth of as many children as possible in Russia is a crucial and, effectively, a cross-cutting trend of all our national projects and strategic development plans. It permeates practically all spheres of life and encompasses everything that is needed and important for our people.

This is an absolute priority because it concerns the future of our country. In this regard, it is particularly important for the state, the business community, civil society, and leaders of our traditional religions to coordinate and consolidate their efforts. Additionally, we all need support from the media, as well as well-aligned actions at all levels and in all areas, actions based on a single line of logic.

The Council’s composition – and it includes representatives of federal and regional authorities, public and non-profit organisations, scientific and entrepreneurial communities – undoubtedly reflects the commitment to a comprehensive, system-wide approach to addressing the tasks we face. I hope that today we will discuss specific proposals aimed at making our policy on demographic development and support for families more effective and robust.

Colleagues,

Falling birth rates have become a global trend and a global challenge in the modern world. While not in all countries are affected equally, many, particularly economically developed nations, face this issue, and Russia is unfortunately no exception. Additionally, as you know, we suffer from the effects of two demographic pitfalls, as we call them: the tragic losses of WWII, the Great Patriotic War, and the crisis of the 1990s, which took place just after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Different countries respond to this demographic challenge in various ways, including the encouragement of uncontrolled, and even chaotic migration to replace the native population, often sacrificing their identity and culture, and, importantly, their internal political stability.

Our choice is unequivocal: we support the family as the fundamental basis of Russian society and aim to protect and preserve genuine family values and traditions, which have united and strengthened our country for centuries.

It is my deep conviction that we can only address the demographic challenge by developing our own demographic potential, by preserving and increasing the number of all native peoples in Russia, supporting large family traditions, and implementing programmes to bring home our compatriots, Russian and Russian-speaking people who form the core of our society.

This approach guarantees our future, preserves the ethno-cultural balance in Russian society and strengthens our sovereignty.

I have said on many occasions that families with three or more children should be seen as a standard and natural way of life in our country. In this regard, internal guidelines, people's beliefs, and their priorities hold immense, sometimes decisive, importance.

According to sociologists, an increasing number of our citizens express a desire to have large families.

In 2005, our citizens believed that a family should have 2.4 children (this is statistical data – the figure may sound strange for the media representatives present here, but statisticians consider this normal) and now this figure is over three children, and this trend is very important.

And one more thing. I believe that you will, most likely, discuss this issue today. Ms Valentina Matviyenko and I have agreed that I will speak and then will leave you to attend to my routine matters, and you will continue working in these wonderful Kremlin interiors under the supervision of Ms Matviyenko. But this is what I would like to say. Ms Tatyana Golikova is focusing on this issue all the time when communicating with her colleagues in the Government, and she persistently revisits this issue when engaging with me – how to provide financial support for families. This is absolutely correct. It is very hard to address demographic issues without this.

But, of course, inner moral values, attitudes and principles are much stronger and more important. Did Russian peasant households earn average European-style incomes? No, they did not, but each peasant family had seven to ten children. Their values and attitudes were different. This is what underlies demographic policy, and this should lie at its foundation.

It is now very important (I believe this is also one of the Council’s objectives) to promote and uphold the internal attitude that I have mentioned, that tendency of the internal attitude that I just spoke about, so that the desire to create a family, to marry and to have many children becomes prevalent in the public mentality.

Certainly, no pressure should be exerted in this sphere. A decision to have a child is, certainly, a private and personal matter of any person, any family. However, we should work jointly and make sure that people (young people, in the first place) would sincerely aspire to a happy motherhood, would aim to effectively raise their children, and that they would feel confident that the state will support them whenever necessary, lend them a helping hand, and that it will do everything possible to prevent living standards from deteriorating following the birth of children but would, rather, raise the family status.

You know, we have already created an entire range of essential tools for providing this support. I am talking about maternity capital, flat-rate benefits for low-income families and low-interest mortgages. I would also like to recall that, from 2025, regions whose birth rates fell short of average Russian levels in 2023 received additional funding for implementing birth rate expansion programmes. In 2025–2030, 41 regions will receive about 75 billion rubles. The family taxation initiative will be launched in early 2026; it will reduce income tax levels to six percent for low-income families raising two children and more.

When formulating support measures, we base them on the real needs of families. What would I like to highlight in this regard? It is clear that large families, whose expenses are always significant, find it more difficult to purchase a larger flat or house on their own. Support measure is therefore available, including a payment of 450,000 roubles from the state to help repay mortgages.

In several regions, local authorities are actively addressing the housing needs of large families. Overall, I would like to reiterate that tackling demographic challenges and supporting families is a shared responsibility, one that involves all levels of government, from federal to municipal. It is essential for regions to take a proactive approach and develop their own solutions. As an example of effective regional policy in this area, I would like to highlight the work being done in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The governor described this to me in detail during my working visit there. The region’s initiatives include several significant support measures, foremost among them regional family capital, which provides monthly payments to families for three years following the birth of a child – whether it is the first, second, third, or subsequent child. Moreover, every family, regardless of income level, receives support upon the birth of a child.

What else do I think is important to highlight? Young people today – not only in Russia – often postpone having children, believing they should first focus on other goals. But as time passes, it can turn out that the best years for starting a family have been irretrievably lost. Our task is to help young people understand that they do not have to choose one path over another but can successfully combine parenthood with studying or building a career. Yes, it may be challenging, but it is possible, and it is important to balance these responsibilities with raising a child.

Of course, this requires significant effort and hard work, but the state stands ready to provide assistance and support. We must continue to remind people of something that may seem obvious but still needs to be said aloud: fatherhood and motherhood are a source of joy, and there is no need to postpone happiness. That is what truly matters. At the same time, it is also essential that we help young people and families navigate this important stage of their lives.

Several relevant decisions have recently been made.

Pregnancy and childbirth benefits have been increased for full-time students. In some regions, lump sum payments have been approved for pregnant students. Universities are opening baby care rooms and part-day child care groups. We should certainly encourage everything that is being done in this sphere, primarily in the system of higher education but also at secondary education establishments.

I know that the Federation Council helped organise a Festival of Student Families in July, as Ms Matviyenko has told us. I believe it was held at Bauman University.

Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko: Yes, this is true.

Vladimir Putin: I consider it important to continue to improve support measures for young families, including student families. I also hope that the Demography Council will make a practical contribution to this.

Overall, we must regularly analyse the effectiveness of the measures we are taking in the sphere of family policy, improving the system of social support to make it as transparent as possible, understandable and convenient for families with children. It should be applied proactively and ultimately help people achieve their dreams of a big and close-knit family with many children.

Of course, financial and social support measures, both federal and regional ones, are extremely important. I would like to emphasise that business, our large companies are becoming involved in this work and are implementing corporate programmes for young families.

At the same time, I would like to repeat that the solution of demographic problems begins with each family and, as I have already stated, with the people’s attitude and world outlook. We see that the revival of genuine family traditions has sparked widespread social response. It is not surprising that the Our Family contest has become so popular. It is extremely important for the values of respect for large families with many children and love for children as the nation’s future to become a unifying feature of the rising generations.

I strongly hope that the Demography Council and its professional competence will make a great contribution to the fulfilment of the tasks we face and to the further development of our family and demographic policy for the benefit of our citizens and the country as a whole, of course.

Thank you very much. I would like to wish you success in your efforts.

Valentina Matviyenko: Mr President, first of all, I would like to express my gratitude for your participation in today’s Council meeting and for your unprecedented personal commitment to demographic issues.

When the head of state, amidst numerous other pressing matters, addresses demographic and family policy so systematically and substantively, it serves as a powerful motivator for leaders at all levels of government, business executives, and other sectors.

Most importantly, it is crucial for everyone to understand that this is not a situational programme, nor a temporary or one-off project, but rather a serious, long-term effort – and it is only through this approach that we will yield results. This challenge must be addressed by society as a whole.

I would also like to underscore separately that now, when society is truly consolidated and patriotic, and when our citizens have gained a renewed appreciation for Russia’s value, for family, and for traditions, we have an excellent opportunity to embark on a qualitatively new stage of demographic policy.

Do you still have time, or must you leave?

Vladimir Putin: I must leave, but I will stay and hear you out.

Valentina Matviyenko: Mr President, I will be very brief.

You have already noted that the Council established on your initiative comprises the finest specialists and professionals across various fields. Every Council member recognises their personal responsibility.

Today, you have set new additional tasks, and we will, of course, be guided by them.

Specific working groups and an expert council have been formed within the Federation Council. We are engaging a wide range of experts, with institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences participating. I am aware that the Academy President is present here today. On October 28, they will hold a dedicated meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences Presidium devoted to demographic issues. So, as they say, the process is underway across society.

We have established close cooperation with the Presidential Executive Office, the relevant State Council commission, the Government, and regional authorities. Our team has analysed the full range of federal and regional support measures. We have thoroughly studied international experience because, as you rightly noted, this is a challenge for all developed nations – even China now faces this serious challenge.

We have prepared a number of proposals. We hope to formalise them as a list of your instructions, should you agree, so that we receive your instructions to implement following today’s discussion.

The key issue is well known: housing. The family mortgage programme. Of course, thanks to this initiative, millions of families have been able to acquire housing of their own. However, upon closer examination, Mr President, it turns out that family mortgages are increasingly becoming a metropolitan mortgage, as more than half of the preferential loans intended to boost the birth rate are being issued in Moscow, St Petersburg, and the Moscow and Leningrad regions. We believe it would be appropriate to refine this tool. It is necessary to create conditions that allow families with children to improve their housing conditions in the areas where they actually live, on their native land. This would, in turn, give a powerful boost for housing construction across the regions of the Federation, including smaller towns, and would promote planned territorial development.

Given the particular focus on large families, we also propose differentiating the family mortgage rate according to the number of children: the more children a family has, the lower the rate should be.

A model of preferential, affordable rental housing for families with children, as you have also mentioned, requires further development. DOM.RF has already prepared specific proposals in this regard, which Mr Mutko will present in more detail today.

You know, Mr President, dreams are inspiring. Imagine, for example, if a third or fourth child were born into a family and the state were to grant them an apartment or a home of their own. This would, of course, stimulate the development of individual and wooden housing construction. We have vast forest resources for that. It is every family’s dream, and such a measure would certainly serve as a strong incentive to have more children.

We also believe that the time has come to improve the maternity capital programme. It should now be reoriented towards supporting large families – the birth of a third and subsequent children. At present, maternity capital for a second or third child is significantly lower than for the first child. We believed a similar approach should be applied to regional maternity capital payments.

Overall, there should, in my view, be a unified philosophy: all additional support measures, both federal and regional, should be directed primarily towards encouraging the birth of third, fourth, and subsequent children.

Infrastructure. You are, of course, absolutely right to note that the state must provide the necessary infrastructure: schools, educational facilities, clubs, and so forth. Yet this family-centred approach must be applied in all areas: modern playgrounds, barrier-free environments for strollers, and mother-and-child rooms in public institutions. Among the proposals we have received from the regions and public organisations are: the creation of designated parking spaces for large families; exemption of children’s fares in taxis; and separate check-in counters for families with small children at airports, among others.

Our society has a strong, long-standing tradition of special care for expectant mothers and children. Undeniably, this deeply-held value must be translated into practical, everyday benefits for families with children, which does not necessarily require significant budget expenditures. We are ready (and are already acting) to prepare corresponding recommendations for businesses, regions, and federal agencies.

Furthermore, it is crucial that employers actively engage with demographic objectives. As this is a national priority, businesses must also demonstrate their social responsibility by contributing. Progress is already underway: we are collecting information from the regions, and a new national GOST corporate demographic standard has recently been approved. While its application is currently voluntary, we believe companies that implement high standards of demographic support should be encouraged and incentivised and, all other things being equal, be entitled to certain state preferences. This is only fair.

We must also streamline the system of state support, as there are no trivial details in this endeavour. For instance, if a new mother receives a substantial one-time payment from her employer for the birth of a child, this amount is currently counted as income. As a result, she can lose her right to receive a flat-rate child care benefit. We have submitted proposals to the Government, and a resolution is already being prepared to exclude such employer payments from the calculation of average per capita family income. In our view, it would be logical to extend this approach to other demographic support payments, regardless of their source.

Our Council has also uncovered startling situations, such as a working woman receiving no maternity benefits at all. This can occur if her company is undergoing bankruptcy when she goes on maternity leave, leaving no source for the payment. We have rectified this by submitting new legislation, which has since been adopted; in such cases, payments are now made by the Social Fund.

Here is another critical example. A woman may be de facto employed by a company but is formally registered as self-employed – an arrangement some businesses find economically efficient. The consequence is that when she becomes pregnant, she is not entitled to paid maternity leave and is essentially thrust into financial limbo, with no benefits or guarantees. While these issues might seem minor to some, they are in fact vital, critical even, and we are committed to addressing them thoroughly.

Finally, I would like to thank the Ministry of Labour and Minister Anton Kotyakov for supporting the law that increases maternity benefits for new mothers who are university students. These benefits have been raised almost tenfold, Mr President, representing truly significant support.

You mentioned the necessity of placing special emphasis on student families. Considerable efforts have also been made in this regard. A non-reducible standard of support for student families has been established. Specific measures are being implemented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, with university rectors and Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov actively engaged in this agenda – many thanks to him for his commitment.

We are currently preparing legislative amendments that will enable priority placement in nurseries and kindergartens near universities for children from student families.

Moreover, Mr President, this is a highly significant issue – it is widely discussed. We propose considering a more proactive development of nursery networks, both in residential areas and at universities, as well as at large enterprises. Nurseries are absolutely essential for women to balance studies, work, and motherhood. Nearly all regions have fulfilled your instructions regarding kindergarten construction. The programme has been implemented, and there is virtually no shortage; however, nurseries remain inadequate. Women fear being out of work for three years, thereby losing professional skills, and if they have a second or third child, this period extends to six or nine years. Support is needed for these three years before kindergarten. I believe we should implement a nursery construction programme, including private ones, possibly by simplifying requirements for establishing such institutions, naturally without compromising child safety.

We would like to request that you instruct the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoys to the Federal Districts to personally oversee demographic policy in the regions.

I would like to cite an example – Igor Shchegolev – today, he can truly be called the Plenipotentiary Envoy for Demography, not just a Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy.

Special thanks must be extended to the governors. They have genuinely excelled, fully embracing their responsibilities. Demographic programmes have been adopted in all regions. I am confident they will begin to yield results.

It is also crucial for the demographic agenda to receive adequate and appropriate media coverage. Several years ago, Alexei Gromov and I convened a meeting with leaders of all media communities: television, film, radio, internet, online and offline cinemas, and so on. We encountered absolute mutual understanding and agreed on many points. There are robust, substantive plans in place. Council member Oleg Dobrodeyev will elaborate on this today.

I think I should conclude here.

Accurate statistics and population surveys reflecting the realities are needed for correct managerial decisions. Our Council has already delved deeply into the topic. It concerns, among other things, measurements of demographic attitudes and reproductive plans of our citizens.

However, we have to exercise utter caution regarding various sociological studies that are unprofessional, unscientific and incorrect. Sociology is a very complicated science.

Objectives studies are currently conducted by Rosstat (Federal State Statistics Service), but regrettably, once every five years, while we need more updated information. This is obviously not enough.

I have laid out just some proposals, my colleagues will add up to them.

We keep analysing family support measures currently in effect, and identifying and scaling-up the most effective of them.

Mr President, we are about to mark the wonderful holiday –National Unity Day. I would like to remind the words of great Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleyev, who was a great Russian patriot – the power of Russia is in its unity, in the military and the graceful family spirit that multiplies the growth of the nation. That’s what we stand for. We shall do our best for our Fatherland to be strong, independent, sovereign, and, of course, with many large families.

Thank you once again for your participation.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you, Ms Matviyenko.

Once I have stayed here, let me say just a couple of words to comment on your remarks.

You are obviously aware that the Government is trying to preserve all kinds of mortgage loan tools. What has remained of the preferential mortgage is intended to support basically families with children, both the six-percent family mortgage, the two-percent mortgage in some regions of Russia that require our special attention and support for families with children, and so on.

We will definitely keep improving everything, including private housing construction which last year and the year before ensured a good growth of housing construction. This should evidently be also supported. We indeed have a lot of forests, and you have rightly said that some people like and will gladly live in the forest but not everyone. Therefore, apart from forests, we need relevant infrastructure.

Valentina Matviyenko: Mr President, I didn’t mean that. I meant that we have a lot of timber and we can step up wooden housing construction. This clarification is to dispel possible misinterpretations of what I said.

Vladimir Putin: I see your point, but with available timber we need infrastructure. It is not just timber – it is pipelines, roads, communications, transport and other related things.

But this is a very correct idea overall. Mr Mutko will tell us the share of private housing construction in the total housing construction growth. I think it was 50 percent.

DOM.RF General Director Vitaly Mutko: Even as of today, the ratio is 60 to 40, with individual private housing making up 60 percent. It grew by 40 percent. It’s due to preferential mortgage expanded towards private houses purchasing and building.

Vladimir Putin: Indeed, this is the result of expanding preferential mortgage to private housing construction. Do you see how impressive the result is? I mean to say that you have generally expressed the right things, and the Government is attending to exactly these matters.

Now, regarding maternity capital. You know, this idea first came to me and my colleagues in the Government at that time, and it turned out to be a very successful one. Of course, we must now think on how to improve this tool. We are making every effort to support it and to ensure it is regularly adjusted for inflation.

But I would ask you to bear one thing in mind. There is a constant temptation to use maternity capital to resolve various issues. Naturally, families with children always face many of them, they are endless. Yet the most important thing is not to allow these funds to be spent on things that are secondary or insignificant.

Valentina Matviyenko: That’s right.

Vladimir Putin: People are different; they have different goals and interests. Maternity capital must not be allowed to be squandered. Whatever happens, interests of children and women are above all. Although the term “family capital” is sometimes used, I deliberately called it maternity capital – and for good reason. We must prioritise the protection of women and children. Therefore, I ask you to approach this matter with great care. Families have fundamental needs, and that is the principle we must uphold.

Now, as for material support in general – of course, it is absolutely necessary. All our actions are aimed at providing it. But I have already spoken about the ideological aspect of this issue. I think you will all agree with me that demographic challenges appeared in many Western European countries long before they emerged here, even back in Soviet times, despite the much higher standard of living enjoyed by citizens in those countries. Other problems have since arisen. I will not repeat them, but demographers understand this well. Factors such as getting education, post-university education, building a career, other ambitions, and the postponement of the birth of the first child, along with urbanisation and the broader effects of a post-industrial society, have all contributed. People’s consciousness has changed, their priorities have shifted, their values and life orientations have evolved. In general, this is not a bad thing –indeed, it is a sign of development – but it is important that the fundamental values associated with the continuation of life, with the joy of childhood, and with the happiness of motherhood and fatherhood, are preserved. These are things that no amount of money can buy.

Of course, it is essential to create the right conditions. As the saying goes, “we must not breed poverty” – and that is entirely true. But one cannot replace the other. Value-based orientations are important, and for that, joint and concerted efforts are crucial.

And, as I said at the beginning, we must support people’s natural aspirations to have more children. This is absolutely clear. We must do so through consistent, practical actions, both in the material sphere and in social policy.

Ms Matviyenko mentioned baby nurseries. I absolutely agree on this point. Some regions have failed to resolve the kindergarten issues completely but the governors are attending to these matters, and I am sure all the outstanding issues will soon be resolved. Basically, everything has been completed, the programme has been completed. However, you are right about baby nurseries to make sure that a woman does not drop out of a production process and does not lose her professional skills, which means a lot in the modern world as the situation is changing rapidly, the pace of changes is enormous, especially in production. It is crucial in this regard that a woman should have an opportunity to return to her job without losing qualification.

You are certainly absolutely right, we have to address this issue. Ms Golikova, we have repeatedly discussed this matter, and we must give it another thought, but certainly without slacking safety requirements for these child care institutions. The requirements may be changed, they must be up-to-date to embrace modern capabilities and materials, equipment and everything else. Modern technologies allow for resolving many issues of children’s facilities safety in a modern way, and that’s what we must do. Therefore, the requirements must not be slackened but changed in accordance with modern capabilities.

I would like to finish with what I began with and what I repeatedly addressed – the inner motivation, the ideological beliefs of our society and what Ms Matviyenko referred to as respect for the very notion of childhood, fatherhood and motherhood.

Regarding motherhood – I think everyone is perfectly aware of that – yet I will say it again. All peoples of Russia (we have many peoples, the Russian nation embraces over 100 ethnicities, to be more exact,192 ethnicities living here, and we have been communicating with each other for as many as a thousand years) have some beliefs common for all. I mean an attitude to mummy, to mother, which has a special sacred significance for all of us. Even our major traditional religions have the image of mother on icons as the central image. Just look at our basic religious values. What do they look like? A Madonna with the baby, she prevails. In other cultures, for example, in Europe, the main image is that of the Saviour. In our country, you know what is depicted on the icons. Do you get it? This is the first point.

Second, regarding patriotic education – one word is being passed over from generation to generation, which is natural for us – Motherland. In fact, mother and homeland are blended in our consciousness as one general image.

We must definitely support these fundamental value-based attitudes in a talented, vivid and masterful way, including and above all with the active engagement of cultural figures and mass media representatives.

I want to wish you all the best in your today’s work.

Thank you very much.

<…>