MOSCOW, December 8 /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on his birthday and gave him an English language self-teacher as a gift as he opened a joint meeting of the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport and the Supervisory Board of the Russia 2018 Organizing Committee in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

"I would like to start our meeting with a pleasant thing. Vitaly Mutko has a birthday and I would like to extend my greetings to him," the Russian president said.

"Apart from being actively involved in home activities and being the head of our football, Vitaly Mutko actively performs international functions. That is why I would like to give him an English-language self-teacher, a phrasebook, as a birthday gift and wish him success in learning (the English language)," Putin said to applause.

After that, the Russian head of state handed over the gift to Mutko.

Vitaly Mutko turned 57 on Tuesday. His remarks made in English have brought him world fame.