Putin says he may seek 4th presidential term September 20, 2013 - 2:33AM Possible 4th term ... Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with 'Valdai' International Discussion Club members in the town of Valdai. Valdai, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin says he could run for a fourth presidential term in 2018. If he serves four terms, that would keep him in power for about a quarter century and make him the nation's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin. Putin, who served two consecutive four-year terms starting in 2000, became prime minister in 2008 to observe a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms. Putin continued calling the shots as premier with his long-time ally, Dmitry Medvedev, serving as a placeholder. Medvedev initiated a law that extended the presidential term to six years, and Putin won a third term in 2012 despite major public protests in Moscow against his rule. Asked Thursday whether he would seek another term in 2018, Putin said that he doesn't exclude that.