Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin in Moscow Dec 12, 2013. Putin said on Thursday he saw no reason to abandon spending pledges he made when he began his third presidential term last year, despite a more challenging economic environment. [Photo/Agencies] |
"The economic cycle can and is changing, but this is no reason to talk about revising our goals," Putin said in an annual address to lawmakers and top officials in the Kremlin.