Putin discussed Russia's draft budget with New People party leader Nechayev in the Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a meeting in the Kremlin with the leader of the New People party, Alexei Nechayev. According to the Kremlin website on November 19, the main subject of their conversation was the draft federal budget for 2025-2027.

In particular, Nechayev presented his party's proposals to increase budget revenues.

"The draft budget, which was supported by our party in the first reading, I am concerned that it was adopted with a deficit. After all, we are used to having a surplus budget for many years, and we are used to living with a reserve," the politician said.

Putin agreed that there is a deficit in the budget, but it is still small.

"Your opinion is interesting because you work directly with entrepreneurs and feel this environment," he said.

The leader of the Duma faction suggested that the state treasury could be replenished by increasing duties for the countries of the collective West on some categories of goods. In addition, he proposed to provide for an increase in the cost of labor patents for foreign citizens to work in Russia.

"It is seen that it is necessary to take money not from their own, but from strangers. And so I think it will be 100 billion and more," Nechayev noted.

"Yes, but in such a way that our own don't suffer. <...> In fact, I expect that there will be more income, so that the deficit will be smaller," Putin noted.

Earlier, on November 14, the State Duma at a meeting adopted in the second reading of the draft federal budget for 2025 and the planning period of 2026-2027. It was noted that 888 amendments were made to the draft for the second reading. All of them were discussed and approved jointly by the deputies of the State Duma and the government. In particular, in 2025, 537.5 billion rubles will be allocated for maternity capital. Also in the coming year, spending on support for participants of the special military operation (SMO) and their relatives will increase by 740 million rubles.

The document was submitted to Parliament on September 30. It was noted that the main goal was to fulfill social obligations to citizens. On October 24, the draft was adopted in the first reading. As indicated, in 2025, federal budget revenues are expected to grow to Br40.296 trillion, which is 11.6% more than in the current year. Federal expenditures will also increase - up to Br41.469 trillion. The largest part of the budget in 2025 will go to defense (32.5%), followed by social policy (15.7%), national economy (10.5%) and national security and law enforcement (8.3%).