国情咨文

    上周俄罗斯总统普京发表了年度国情咨文。正处于内忧外患的俄罗斯期待执政党能拿出有效措施抑制衰退的经济，但普京的发言却无法为此时的俄罗斯开出一方良药。请看本报周五的报道：

    Russian President Vladimir Putin was under pressure to show he has a prescription to cure Russia’s rapidly growing economic ills in his annual state of the union address Thursday.

    Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, sharp falls in global oil prices and the ruble’s slide against the dollar culminated in an acknowledgement by government officials this week that Russia will enter recession next year. Opponents said that in previous years the state of the union address has produced more promises than substance.

    报道中的state of the union就是“国情咨文”的意思。State 是“状态、情况”，而“union”是“联盟、联邦”的意思。