The U.S. has closed down its embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv as a precautionary measure to a possible Russian invasion. Officials said they are temporarily relocating their diplomatic personnel to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine as Russia continues to build up its military forces.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that he has already given the evacuation order for the safety of the embassy's remaining diplomatic staff. He also sent an advisory to all remaining U.S. citizens still in Ukraine to immediately leave the country for their own safety.
The relocation of the remaining diplomatic personnel from the U.S. embassy comes just a day after officials ordered the vast majority of the nation's employees in Ukraine to leave the country. While officials have stated that they expect an imminent Russian invasion within the next few weeks, they are still committed to finding a diplomatic solution to resolve the conflict.
Russian spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said late Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to negotiate. Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed Putin that he believes there is a chance for diplomatic conversation with the West over Russia's security concerns and that such attempts should be pursued.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price warned Monday that it is not yet clear if Russia is interested in negotiations even though it said that it is open to diplomacy. Price said the decision to relocate employees was due to the "distinct possibility" that Russia may decide to take military action within the coming days.
Price said they based their decision on their assessment of what they have seen on the ground, particularly the continued buildup of Russian forces outside Ukraine's borders.
The State Department said it has already taken necessary precautions to protect sensitive documents and equipment. Officials said they destroyed classified information stored at the embassy over the past few days to prepare for the expected closure.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will be guarded by the Ukrainian National Guard Police. Price said they fully intend to return to the embassy in Kyiv just as soon as it is safe. He added that the core diplomatic team, including charge d'affaires Kristina Kvien, has been relocated to Lviv, and they will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government coordinating diplomatic efforts.
The gap between the U.S. and Ukraine on the likelihood of a Russian attack is narrowing. Ukraine has been skeptical that such an invasion is imminent, but in private conversations, they have been more concerned about how the U.S.'s invasion warnings have impacted them domestically, politically, and economically.
