U.S. Embassy in Kyiv hints at evacuation plans as Russia-Ukraine war concerns grow

by mcardinal

Lauren Moye, FISM NEWS

 

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv might begin evacuations “as early as next week” during ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia. CNN reported that the embassy has requested State Department approval for nonessential personnel and families to leave according to “multiple sources familiar with the matter”.

A private source close to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky also told CNN that the U.S. has warned they will begin evacuating families of the Kyiv diplomats “as early as next week.” Zelensky has called this potential step an “overreaction” in conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

This follows closely after Tuesday’s report that Russia had thinned out their own Kyiv embassy staff and a comment from White House spokesperson Jen Psaki that tensions are now “at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack on Ukraine.”

There has been no official statement on evacuation plans from the State Department. An anonymous State Department spokesperson denied having an announcement to make on the topic. They said, “We conduct rigorous contingency planning, as we always do, in the event the security situation deteriorates.”

Blinken met with Zelensky on Wednesday to “reaffirm” U.S. support concerning “Ukraine’s territorial integrity, to its sovereignty, to its independence.”

Blinken also said in a public address during this visit, “We’ve made it very clear to Moscow that if it chooses to renew aggression against Ukraine, it will mean that it will face very severe consequences.”

Blinken also met with his Russian counterpart on Friday to pursue diplomatic solutions with Moscow, less than 24 hours before U.S. supplied “200,000 pounds of lethal aid” arrived in Kyiv.

Discussions between top U.S. and Russian diplomats made no major breakthroughs. However, Blinken signaled hope that continued talks might prove productive. He described Russia as having a choice between “the path of diplomacy” or a path that will lead to “conflict, severe consequences, and international condemnation.”

In December, U.S. lawmakers approved $200 million in military assistance to Ukraine considering the ongoing threat of Russia’s redline. At the time there was an estimated 100,000 troops stationed near the border of the two countries.

“The shipment – and $2.7 billion USD since 2014 – demonstrates U.S. commitment to helping Ukraine bolster its defenses in the face of growing Russian aggression,” the embassy also tweeted.

Other NATO allies have pledged assistance to Ukraine and severe consequences if Russia invades their southern neighbor. Most recently, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania released a joint statement late on Friday pledging U.S.-made anti-tank Javelin missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

Blinken tweeted that he “expedited and authorized” and “fully endorses” similar deliveries of defensive equipment to Kyiv by NATO allies:

Russia has so far denied planning an invasion. The nation has been warned of severe consequences and sanctions from multiple European nations in addition to the U.S. if they renew aggression against Ukraine.

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