Tatar greeting in the Kremlin: How did Vladimir Putin welcome Rustam Minnikhanov?

10 November 2026, 19:312 min read0

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a working meeting at the Kremlin with the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, with an unexpected and warm gesture. As the head of state shook hands with Minnikhanov upon his arrival, he greeted him in the Tatar language with "Isәnmesez" ("Hello" / "Are you well?"). The regional leader responded to this address with a sincere smile and gratitude.

A 4-million-ton record and the problem of prices

Following the greeting, which began in a spirit of diplomatic and national respect, the negotiation table turned to discussions on the socio-economic development of Tatarstan and pressing issues in agriculture.

Rustam Minnikhanov proudly announced that this year, the republic's farmers had harvested over 4 million tons of grain through immense effort. However, the large harvest is not bringing the expected income to the farmers: due to complexities in logistics routes and transport restrictions, the domestic purchase price of grain remains extremely low. This is putting serious pressure on the financial stability of those in the agricultural sector.

Indicator / Topic	Details of the Kremlin discussion	Significance and expected measure
Greeting etiquette	Putin's "Isәnmesez" greeting in Tatar	High political respect for the region's language and culture
Volume of grain harvested	4 million tons of high-quality grain	One of the largest agricultural indicators on a federal scale
Main problem	Logistical barriers and low purchase prices	Debate over farmers' profitability and transport costs
Kremlin's position	"We will solve this problem together"	Prospect of introducing railway and logistics subsidies

"The harvest was abundant, we collected 4 million tons of grain, but due to transport and shipping issues, the purchase price is not what we hoped for. The President promised to resolve this issue together with the federal center."
— Rustam Minnikhanov, Head of Tatarstan.

Overcoming logistical barriers: How will the Kremlin help?

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that agriculture is a key pillar of the country's food security and said that instructions would be given to the relevant ministries and departments to address the decline in grain prices and logistical barriers on export routes.

Practical measures are expected to be taken to subsidize railway tariffs and expand trade corridors to deliver a large portion of the harvest to foreign markets. This will serve to support not only Tatarstan's agricultural sector but also other major grain producers in the Volga region.

In your opinion, how important is it for heads of state to greet each other in regional languages and show respect for national culture in strengthening inter-regional trust? Leave your thoughts in the comments.