The U.S. State Department has published a Russia Day greeting from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, written “on behalf of the American people.”
“The United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm the United States’ desire for constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine. It is our hope that peace will foster more mutually beneficial relations between our countries,” the message reads.
The last time a U.S. secretary of state issued a Russia Day greeting was in 2022, when Antony Blinken held the post. At the time, he wrote that Russians, “like people everywhere, deserve to live their lives free of repression and to be able to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of retribution.”
“Too many Russian citizens are behind bars for the ‘crime’ of speaking truth to power about their government’s actions. This internal repression is occurring as the Kremlin is waging an unprovoked and unjustified war against a sovereign, neighboring state,” Blinken wrote. “Russia’s government is attempting to keep its citizens in the dark about the atrocities it is committing against the people of Ukraine.”