MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. Russia showed its readiness for changes at the decisive stages of its historical development confidently by making progress within decades, while other countries needed centuries to do that, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly.

"The entire world is going through a turning point. Those who are ready for changes and are capable of changing, who act and are moving forward will be the leaders. Our country, our people showed such will at all decisive historical stages of our development. Over the course of practically the past 30 years, we have achieved such changes that would have taken other states centuries. We will continue along the steady path that we’ve been following," the president vowed.

According to Putin, cohesion is the most solid foundation for further development. "In the coming years, we need to consolidate our unity even more in order to make sure that we work as one team, which understands that changes are necessary and be ready to invest its efforts, knowledge, experience and talent for the sake of achieving our common goals," Putin stressed.

He was also confident that the coming decades would be "a time of shining victories" and "shared achievements," if Russians were "bold in their aspirations, deeds and actions" and not afraid "to assume the initiative, responsibility, become stronger and thus do a world of good for their families, their children and the whole country."

"Change the world, change the country’s life for the better. Create the Russia that we have dreamed about together," the president concluded.