U.S. Embassy pushes back on EU's Kallas claim that America evacuated Kyiv
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has said it continues to operate normally, pushing back against a statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas that the American mission was the only embassy to leave Kyiv in response to recent Russian threats.
"The U.S. Embassy is open. There are no changes to our operations and reports otherwise are false," the American mission said.
The embassy added that it regularly reviews its security posture and reiterated its standing advisory that U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine "for any reason" due to the ongoing war.
The mission’s denial came in response to Kallas, who said that all embassies remained in Kyiv except one.
"What we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed except one. So that also takes courage from those embassies. But yes, all the Europeans stayed. America left," Kallas said.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi also told hromadske that reports of the U.S. Embassy departing Kyiv are false.
Russia's threats
On May 25, Russia's Foreign Ministry called on diplomats to leave Kyiv "as soon as possible," warning that Russia is preparing to strike "decision-making centers" and "command posts" in the Ukrainian capital.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone that Russia is "commencing strikes" on Kyiv facilities "used by Ukraine's Armed Forces" and urged Washington to evacuate its diplomatic personnel.
Russian officials have framed the threatened strikes as retaliation for a Ukrainian attack on a college and dormitory in Starobilsk, Luhansk Oblast, on May 22. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed six people were killed and 15 reported missing. Ukraine's General Staff denied the claim, saying the strike targeted a headquarters of the Rubicon military unit near Starobilsk.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said partners should not yield to Russian threats but respond proportionally — by increasing their support for Ukraine.