PARIS (AFP) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin insisted Saturday that the country's new president, Dmitri Medvedev, was Russia's real leader, when quizzed by French newspaper Le Monde.

""There is no ambiguity,"" he said. ""The president without question has the final word. And the president, today, is Mr Medvedev.""
In an unprecedented political move Putin this year stepped down as president after serving two full terms, to become prime minister.
""Russia is a presidential republic,"" Putin told the paper. ""We are not modifying the key role of the head of state in the political system. The fact that I lead the government is an idiosyncrasy in our history.
""But otherwise the essential point is this: I simultaneously lead a party which occupies the lead role in our political life, and which has a stable majority in parliament,"" he explained.
The newspaper had pointed out that Putin shared a dinner with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, despite his lesser constitutional status as prime minister, but Putin said the pair had got to know each other during his time as president.
""I am a humble servant who is concerned with economic and social affairs,"" Putin added.
The newspaper also asked if there were any circumstances under which Putin would step down, since there was speculation in Russia that Putin and Medvedev would share power for 20 years.
""One will attempt to safeguard this unity for as long as possible,"" Putin replied. ""The manner in which we divide up roles and ambitions is secondary.
""The team currently in place is very competent, very professional, full of specialists, as well as those elected to parliament whom we support.""
In a wide-ranging interview, Putin also touched on NATO expansion and the war in Chechnya.
Asked if Chechnya and the Beslan school hostage crisis were the ""dark days"" of his presidency, Putin said: ""I am certain if we had attempted to do things differently, everything would have been much more difficult today.""
""All states who make concessions to terrorists finally suffer greater losses than those endured in special operations.
""Ultimately, (concessions) destroy the state and increase the number of victims,"" he told the paper.
Putin also reiterated Russia's opposition to NATO expansion among its former Soviet underlings, such as Georgia and Ukraine.
""The Soviet Union no longer exists, no longer threatens anyone, but NATO remains,"" he said.
""Enlarging NATO simply erects new frontiers in Europe, new Berlin Walls -- invisible this time, but no less dangerous.
""I would add one more thing: democracy is about the power of the people. In Ukraine, nearly 80 percent of the population are against joining NATO... is no-one interested any more in what the people think? Is that democracy?""