Sepp Blatter believes Russia can host the best World Cup in history in 2018 ahead of a meeting with Russian president Vladamir Putin.
FIFA president Blatter met Putin on a visit to Sochi -- site of the 2014 Winter Olympics and one of the host venues for the 2018 tournament -- on Monday, and declared his pride in Russia's preparations beforehand.
"I am a happy and proud president. I am proud that Russia is getting ready to host the World Cup," Blatter said in quotes picked up by Reuters.
"A lot of this is happening thanks to President Vladimir Putin, but also due to the Sports Minister [Vitaly] Mutko and [Alexei] Sorokin (CEO of the Local Organising Committee). They are a true team and have a wonderful working relationship."
Just met President Putin. I believe the 2018 #WorldCup will help to build bridges.
- Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) April 20, 2015
FIFA have come under increasing pressure to move the World Cup away from Russia, with 13 U.S. senators asking world footbal's governing body earlier this month to consider relocating the 2018 tournament because of what they call that country's "ongoing violations of the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
The Russian Football Union's former president Vyacheslav Koloskov says that Ukraine's attempts to force a boycott of the competition are doomed to fail, but Blatter has also admitted this year that FIFA are concerned by a study of racism in Russian football.
However, 79-year-old Blatter said on Monday: "Some people are wanting the World Cup to be taken away from Russia, but we will give one answer to this -- we are involved in football and we will not allow politics to get in the way.
"Everything is going to plan and nothing will get in the way of Russia hosting the best ever World Cup. The economic situation is not the best, but I know it will get better.
"The main thing is that the people of Russia are organising this tournament. The people want this championship to go ahead and I personally feel this."
Meanwhile, the Guardian quotes Putin as saying: "We hosted the [Winter] Olympics last year and now Russia has before it a large, if not to say huge task of preparing for the 2018 world championship in football.
"These events are no less of a large scale than the Winter Olympic Games."