On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin expressed his support for an initiative to establish a national center dedicated to promoting Russian as a second language internationally.

“I believe that setting up a dedicated center will enhance the promotion of the Russian language,” Putin stated during a meeting of the council focused on the implementation of state language policy.

He instructed the Kremlin and his administration to initiate the creation of a “university-based national interdepartmental scientific and methodological center aimed at advancing the Russian language globally.”

Nikita Gusev, the acting chancellor of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute who proposed the idea, mentioned that this effort would leverage the “ecosystem of Russia’s activities abroad” established by government bodies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Gusev indicated that a more comprehensive proposal would be submitted at the next council meeting on state language policy, pending Putin’s endorsement.