Secretary of State Antony Blinken sounded the alarm Wednesday, urging U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine due to the rising threat of an invasion by Russia.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine also raised awareness by issuing an advisory Wednesday encouraging U.S. citizens to take commercial flights out of the country and stay in contact with the embassy.
US DRAWS DOW UKRAINE EMBASSY PRESENCE AS WAR FEARS MOUNT
“Our message now for any Americans in Ukraine is to strongly consider leaving using commercial or other privately available transportation options,” Blinken said during a press conference Wednesday. “If Russia invades, civilians, including Americans still in Ukraine, could be caught in a conflict zone between combatant forces. The U.S. government may not be in a position to aid individuals in these circumstances.”
Blinken said that while the United States is unsure whether Russia will invade, the State Department had an obligation to issue an advisory. He noted the embassy can still process passports and provide loans to Americans seeking transportation out of the country.
Russia has been massing troops on its border with Ukraine over recent weeks. U.S. officials estimate well over 100,000 Russian troops are on the border, prompting concerns about an invasion or other military action against Ukraine. Russia has sought concessions from NATO in exchange for reducing its troop count, including eliminating its open-door policy and not sending forces or weapons to countries not already in the alliance before May 1997. The U.S. and NATO have publicly rejected these demands.
The State Department ordered families of U.S. personnel at the embassy to leave on Sunday. The State Department currently has a Level Four Travel Advisory on Ukraine, which tells U.S. residents not to travel there due to security concerns from Russia. The agency also issued a similar advisory against travel to Russia.
Some Ukrainian officials appeared to express dismay at the State Department’s actions Sunday, suggesting it was premature or that it played into Russia’s hands.
“It is extremely important to avoid activity that could be used in the information space to increase tensions in society and destabilize the economic and financial security of Ukraine,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said in a tweet.
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U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan sent a written response to Moscow on Wednesday on their demands. While Blinken confirmed this during his press conference Wednesday, he did not elaborate on the substance of the response. He also stood by the U.S. position against reversing NATO’s open-door policy.
On Monday, the Pentagon announced it put 8,500 troops on high alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe. The Biden administration said it has no plans to deploy U.S. troops to Ukraine in advance of possible military action from Russia.
