U.S. Marks Russia Day for First Time Since Ukraine War

The United States Department of State congratulated Russia on its national holiday for the first time since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, marking the shift in Washington’s policy towards Moscow during the Donald Trump administration. Knewz.com has learned that in an official statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed that the U.S. will continue to work towards bringing a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Releases Statement on Russia Day

Russia Day is now considered to be a holiday of liberty and civic peace. It marks the day the First Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR in 1990. Russia Day commemorates the declaration of Russia’s state sovereignty from the Soviet Union. Secretary Rubio shared a statement congratulating the Russian people on the State Department’s website, writing, “On behalf of the American people, I want to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day. 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.”

Ukraine Finds Russia Day Wish ‘Unpleasant’

Andrii Sybiha, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, said in a statement that he found it “unpleasant” to read the congratulations from “some countries” on Russia Day. “As the minister of a country at war, I found it particularly unpleasant this morning to read the public congratulations from some countries to the Russian aggressor,” Sybiha said, adding that he “has the moral right to say this” and further noted that “there can be no reward for the aggressor country.”

A Shift in Washington’s Policy Towards Russia

Rubio’s statement marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy towards Russia. The Biden administration held off on congratulating Russia on the holiday after the country invaded Ukraine in 2022. Furthermore, in 2024, the Biden administration announced a fresh round of sanctions on Russia on the occasion of Russia Day. “The United States will continue to use all tools at its disposal to disrupt support for Russia’s military-industrial base and curtail Russia’s ability to exploit the international financial system in furtherance of its war against Ukraine. We continue to stand in solidarity with Ukrainians defending their homeland from Russia’s aggression as well as with Russians striving for a more democratic future for their country,” the statement from the Secretary of State read at the time.

The Trump Administration’s Russia Policy

President Trump initially pledged to end the Ukraine war in 100 days — a vow that played into his America First narrative by portraying himself as a decisive negotiator who could resolve global conflicts swiftly where others had failed. However, according to reports, his efforts have stalled since then, and he has yet to present a concrete plan for resolving the conflict. He has also recently said that it might be necessary to let Russia and Ukraine “fight for a little while” before brokering a peace deal. According to reports, he also floated the idea of imposing fresh sanctions on both warring countries if he determines the conflict is not going to end.

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