Putin will not seek third term

President Vladimir Putin said today that he will not seek a third term in 2008, but vowed not to allow “destabilisation” in Russia in the weeks following the election, leaving the door open for drastic action in the event of a crisis.

In an interview with Dutch media on the eve of a visit to the Netherlands, Putin reiterated that he opposes changing Russia’s constitution to prolong his time in power – a possibility that has been widely discussed because his popularity and control over parliament.