For the first time since 2022, the U.S. government issued a statement marking Russia Day.

A message from Secretary of State Marco Rubio:

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.

Are we really “committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future”? Is that brighter future lit by the burning remains of children’s hospitals, schools, and civilian shelters? The children’s railway?

Russia Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on June 12, 1990.  New York City anarchists are getting into the spirit of Russia Day by setting things on fire and planting bombs, two of Russia’s favorite activities.

The Trump administration keeps doing nice things for Russia, and in exchange, Vladimir Putin keeps offering diddly squat. In his comments, President Trump keeps finding new ways to justify and explain away Russia’s strikes against civilians; on June 6, speaking to reporters, Trump said of the Ukrainian strike against Russian air fields, “well, they gave, they gave, uh, Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of ’em last night. ”

Ukrainian Independence Day is August 24. Let’s see if there’s any special State Department message about that day.