The American diplomatic mission in Ukraine’s capital issued a firm denial Thursday regarding reports that it had ceased operations after Russia warned foreign diplomats and citizens to evacuate before launching intensified attacks.
Ukrainian news outlets on Thursday referenced comments from European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas suggesting the American embassy had departed the capital city.
Speaking to journalists during an EU gathering in Cyprus, Kallas indicated that foreign diplomatic missions in Ukraine’s capital had dismissed Moscow’s attack threats, with one exception.
“What we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed except one,” Kallas stated Thursday. “All the Europeans stayed. America left.”
Multiple EU nations called in their Russian ambassadors following Moscow’s Monday warning directing foreigners to depart.
Through a social media post, the American embassy in Ukraine’s capital refuted any operational changes.
“The U.S. Embassy is open. There are no changes to our operations and reports otherwise are false,” the statement read.
A communications adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dmytro Lytvyn, informed reporters that Ukraine understood some American diplomatic personnel had departed the capital during Sunday’s large-scale Russian assault.
Lytvyn expressed Ukraine’s appreciation for all diplomatic missions operating in the capital and providing support to Ukraine.
An embassy representative declined to address Lytvyn’s statements.
Embassy social media indicated that the acting American ambassador to Ukraine, Julie Davis, was in Lviv attending a weekend function.
“The State Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans and regularly reviews the security posture of Embassy Kyiv,” the embassy stated in its social media post.
