"On behalf of President [Barack] Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of Russia as you celebrate your National Day on June 12," Kerry said in a statement on Friday.
Kerry offered his best wishes to the Russian people and added that he wants the future to be marked by prosperity, freedom and peace in both Russia and the United States.
He further noted that self-government is the best way to achieve dignity and respect for the rights of all citizens, as Russia did when it declared itself an independent republic in 1990.
The relations between the two countries deteriorated over the 2014 Ukraine crisis after the United States and its allies alleged that Russia interferes in the internal affairs of Ukraine and imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow. The Russian authorities have repeatedly refuted the allegations and asked for proof which the United States never supplied.
