Putin Was Not Ready to Be President When Yeltsin Offered to Run for Election

YAROSLAVL (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he was not ready to become Russia's leader when late President Boris Yeltsin first offered him run for president.

"When Russia’s first President Boris Yeltsin summoned me and said: 'I want to present your candidacy to the State Duma, in an order you to become the prime minister, and then I will offer you to stand for the presidential election. Do you agree?' I told him no", Putin said, adding that he explained the refusal by saying that he was not ready for that.

The incumbent Russian President has commented on the resignment of the first Russian President Boris Yeltsin who announced his decision to step down and appointed Putin acting head of state on December 31, 1999.

READ MORE: 'The Father of Oligarchy': Today in 1991, Boris Yeltsin Became Russian President

Putin was first elected as president in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. He was barred by the constitution from running in 2008 and assumed the post of prime minister.

The same year, the constitution was amended to extend the presidential term to six years. In 2012, Putin once again became president of Russia. After another six years in office, he won re-election last March with 76.69 percent of the vote.