Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (2nd R) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (3d R) attend the United Russia congress in Moscow September 24, 2011. Putin proposed on Saturday that Medvedev should occupy the top spot on his ruling United Russia party's list of candidates for the Dec. 4 parliamentary election.  [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he will run for president in 2012.

He announced the long-awaited decision after President Dmitry Medvedev proposed Putin run for the post at the ruling United Russia party's congress.

Putin also said he was confident that Medvedev would become prime minister after the 2012 election and the ruling party would win in the parliamentary elections in December.

Medvedev asked the ruling United Russia party to support Putin's candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections.

"I believe it would be right if the congress support party leader Vladimir Putin's candidacy for president," Medvedev told the party's pre-election congress.

Meanwhile, Putin nominated Medvedev to head the ruling party's list for the December 4 parliamentary elections.

Medvedev has accepted the nomination, saying he was ready to modernize the largest parliamentary party of Russia.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attend the United Russia congress in Moscow September 24, 2011. Putin proposed on Saturday that Medvedev should occupy the top spot on his ruling United Russia party's list of candidates for the Dec. 4 parliamentary election.  [Photo/Agencies]

The congress of United Russia began Friday at the Rossiya State Central Concert Hall in Moscow's Luzhniki sport complex.

Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov said 639 delegates participated in the congress.

The congress would approve a party platform and its federal list of candidates for the 6th State Duma, or lower house of the Russian parliament.