Russian President Vladimir Putin said Americans should not think of him as an autocratic “tsar” in an interview with CBS News ahead of a trip to address the UN General Assembly in New York.
Interviewer Charlie Rose asked him whether it was fitting to refer to him as a tsar -- the title of the prerevolutionary monarchs in Russia.
"No, it does not fit me. It's not important how I'm called, whether these are well-wishers, friends, or political opponents," Putin said, according to a translated video extract of the interview.
When asked what he most admires about the United States, Putin says he likes “the creativity.”
"Their openness -- openness and open-mindedness -- because it allows them to unleash the inner potential of their people. And thanks to that, America has attained such amazing results in developing their country," he says.
The full interview is due to air on September 27.
