The Secretary of State Marco Rubio has congratulated Russian citizens on Russia day, using the occasion to quietly underscore Washington’s call for a possible peace deal in Ukraine. In a brief statement released by the State Department on Friday, Rubio congratulated Russian citizens on Russia Day, linking the holiday message to the ongoing war in Ukraine.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day,” Rubio said, adding that the “United States remains committed to advancing a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine war,” and expressing hope that a peace deal will help pave the way “toward a more prosperous future for the Russian people and a more constructive relationship between our two countries.” While the statement did not outline any new diplomatic initiatives, it reaffirmed Rubio’s recent public comments that the conflict should end through negotiations rather than a decisive military victory by either side. In his last month’s remarks, Rubio described the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as devastating to both sides, reiterating Washington’s desire for a resolution. “You have people dying in massive numbers on both sides,” he said, adding that Ukraine is going to spend at least two decades rebuilding its cities, while Russia has faced major economic loss, with Moscow losing “five times as many soldiers” as Kyiv.