We haven't received any high-level congratulatory message from China to the United States, but Russian President Putin has sent one! On July 4, the Kremlin stated that President Putin had sent a congratulatory message to President Trump on the occasion of the United States' 250th anniversary. In the message, Putin expressed: "I believe that establishing a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship between Russia and the U.S. serves the interests of both peoples and the international community. Moreover, Russia emphasized that the U.S. and Russia were allies during both World Wars and played a crucial role in laying the foundations of the modern world order."
Over the past 250 years, the two countries have written countless glorious chapters in history. Today, as the world's two largest nuclear powers, we bear a special responsibility for maintaining global security and stability. Clearly, if one only looks at this congratulatory message without considering the Ukraine-Russia conflict, one might assume that the U.S. and Russia are on very good terms. However, the reality is that the two sides remain locked in intense competition, and the U.S. has not yet lifted sanctions against Russia.
Evidently, this congratulatory message represents Russia's proactive outreach to the United States. Why would Russia do this? First, Russia may be taking advantage of a significant American milestone to attempt to ease bilateral relations. Second, by specifically referencing their shared history as allies during both World Wars and emphasizing how they jointly established the modern international order, Russia aims to counteract the long-standing "Russia threat" narrative propagated by the West through appeals to common historical memory.
Third, to some extent, Russia is attempting to break down the unified Western anti-Russia front—adopting differentiated approaches toward Europe versus the United States. From Russia’s perspective, the current U.S. administration differs significantly from the Biden-era government. Seizing this opportunity, Russia clearly seeks to establish communication channels. After all, easing relations with the U.S. aligns with Russia’s own interests.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869773580969099/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.