U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ordered the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 14, directing embassy staff to relocate to Lviv. Blinken cited the “dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces” as cause for the relocation.
“I have ordered these measures for one reason — the safety of our staff — and we strongly urge any remaining U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately,” Blinken said in the closure’s announcement.
The closure follows reports that Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, suggested to President Vladimir Putin that Russia use diplomacy to seek security guarantees from the U.S.
On Feb. 13, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN that Russia could stage an invasion of Ukraine “any day now. That includes this coming week.” On Feb. 11, security officials working in Washington, London, and Ukraine told Politico that the invasion could begin on Feb. 16, though Sullivan said that officials “cannot perfectly predict the day.”
Russia’s demands are that Ukraine never be admitted as a member of NATO, and that NATO further decrease its presence in Eastern Europe. Over 100,00 soldiers with tanks and missiles have been moved to the Russia-Ukraine border, while a further 30,000 troops are engaged in military drills in Belarus, according to a Feb. 10 NATO announcement.
