Rubio addressed the Russian people

This is stated in a message on the website of the US State Department.

On behalf of the American people, I would like to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day. The United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people in their quest for a brighter future. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm the United States' commitment to constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State

He also expressed hope that peace would foster more mutually beneficial relations between the United States and Russia.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed the importance of continuing direct negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.