Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), passing over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, was downed by a Russian missile. All passengers and crew died. On the anniversary of that downing, in 2015, 2016, and 2017, the U.S. State Department has issued a statement to mark the anniversary.

Not this year.

According to ForeignPolicy.com, a statement was prepared but never issued. (Robbie Gramer, Amy Mackinnon. July 18, 2018)

Some speculated it might have to do with the private meeting on July 16 between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin.

A few days later, Australia and the United States held their annual meeting to discuss mutual security interests of the two countries (AUSMIN). The participants held a press conference following the meeting.

One reporter relayed a question from an Australian citizen whose three young children, along with their grandfather, were among those who died when MH17 was shot down. “Secretary Pompeo, will the United States, our friend and ally, help Australia hold Russia to account, and how? “

Secretary Pompeo expressed condolences, and said, “We . . . continue to support every effort through the Joint Investigative Team to hold the perpetrators for this heinous activity accountable.”

Several relatives of the children and grandfather have, nevertheless, criticized Trump for not holding Putin accountable for the MH17 downing.