On Monday, an official from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the United States (US) Department of State order for the departure of non-essential staff and family members from the US embassy at Kyiv “premature.”
In a statement, foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said that Kyiv respects Washington’s right to make decisions regarding the security of their diplomatic mission. However, Nikolenko called the move “an instance of excessive caution,” particularly since “there were no radical changes in the security situation lately,” and added that the security threat posed by Russia remains at the same level since 2014.
Additionally, Nikolenko criticised the Russian government of using the news about the departure of US personnel to spread misinformation, prompting panic among Ukrainians and foreigners alike, and undermining the economic stability of Ukraine. “It is important to soberly assess the risks and stay calm,” Nikolenko said, clarifying that the US embassy in Kyiv remains fully operational.
On Sunday, the US State Department asked its embassy personnel in Kyiv to voluntarily leave the country, citing “continued threat of Russian military action,” and added that “the security conditions, particularly along Ukraine’s borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate with little notice.” State Department officials said the action was bring taken out of an “abundance of caution” because in case of a Russian attack on Kyiv, Washington would not be able to assist its citizens in Ukraine. The United Kingdom (UK) and Australia also followed suit on Monday, reducing their embassy capacity and urging their citizens to avoid travelling to Ukraine.
America’s decision comes amid a heightened risk of military confrontation between the West and Russia. During his visit to Kyiv last week, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the current build-up of 100,000 Russian troops along the Ukrainian border “could double on relatively short order.” After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Blinken assured him of the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) military support in case Russia invades Ukraine.
European Union’s (EU) Foreign Policy head, Josep Borrell, confirmed on Monday that the EU will not be withdrawing its personnel from Ukraine, adding that Brussels did not want to “dramatise” the ongoing diplomatic talks between Russia and the West. Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński also shared EU’s position on the matter saying that Warsaw saw no need to evacuate diplomatic mission in Ukraine. Hungary’s Foreign Ministry also released a statement supporting the same.