Moscow, August 22, 2026 – The Europe Today: The second stage of the congress of the ruling United Russia party is under way in Moscow, with the approval of the party’s programme for the parliamentary election, scheduled for September 8–12, topping the agenda.
The party’s leader, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will join the delegates in the Russian capital for the proceedings.
President Putin had already addressed the first stage of the congress in late June, at which the party finalised its candidate list. The list is headed by senior figures including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.
Although the President is not officially a member of United Russia, the party has actively supported him and his policies since its foundation in 2001.
United Russia currently holds 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian legislature.
