AAccording to media reports, the US State Department has ordered the families of diplomats to leave the US embassy in Kiev in view of the increasing tensions in the Ukraine crisis. Employees who are not immediately needed should also leave the country, reported the broadcaster ABC on Sunday evening (local time), citing an internal letter. This move had been speculated for a few days.
On Saturday, the US State Department said that there was “nothing to announce” about the evacuation of families of embassy staff. The ministry also stressed that US citizens in Ukraine could not face a government-sponsored evacuation operation if attitudes toward embassy staff and families changed. “Commercial flights are currently available to support departure,” it said.
The Federal Foreign Office said on Saturday that it would not reduce its embassy staff in Kiev. “We are very closely monitoring the security situation for the staff at our diplomatic missions in Ukraine, and we are also in close contact with our partners in the EU and at international level,” it said.
.
#Ukraine #conflict #Family #members #diplomats #leave #Kiev