[ad_1]
Secretary of State Antony Blinken ordered US diplomats Monday to move embassy operations in Ukraine out of the capital of Kiev because of the “dramatic acceleration” of Russia’s military buildup, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared a national “Day of Unity” for Wednesday — the day purportedly set for an invasion.
Blinken announced that US diplomatic headquarters in Ukraine would shift to the western city of Lviv, about 44 miles from the border with Poland. The Wall Street Journal reported that Blinken had ordered the destruction of computer workstations as well as the dismantling of the embassy telephone system, rendering it useless as a diplomatic outpost.
According to the outlet, 56 embassy workers arrived at Dulles International Airport outside Washington Sunday on a charter flight, along with most classified material from the Kiev embassy.
“I have no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans around the world, and that, of course, includes our colleagues serving at our posts overseas. My team and I constantly review the security situation to determine when prudence dictates a change in posture,” Blinken said in a statement.
“The Embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine,” he added. “We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis.”
In the same order, Blinken repeated the Biden administration’s calls for Americans still in Ukraine to leave the country.
Zelensky, who has been trying for weeks to tamp down warnings from the US and its allies of an imminent Russian attack, acknowledged in an address that Ukraine has been hit by information and economic attacks and that an “alien army” has gathered on the country’s borders.
“We are being threatened by a great war, and the date of the invasion has been appointed,” he said, referring to comments from Biden administration officials that an attack could take place sometime this week.
“We are told that Feb. 16 will be the day of attack, but we will make it the Day of Unity,” Zelensky added. “I have already signed the relevant decree. On this day, we will hoist national flags everywhere, and wear blue and yellow ribbons to show the entire world our unity.”
While Zelensky initially appeared to be relaying confirmed information about a Russian attack, Mykhailo Podoliak, an aide to the Ukrainian leader, told CNN that he was being “ironic” and merely repeating media speculation and inferences from foreign intelligence sources.
Zelensky added in his address said Russia was “waging war on us on all fronts” by building up its troop presence on Ukraine’s borders, meddling in its diplomatic affairs and by trying to limit the supply of gas, electricity and coal in an effort to “sow panic among citizens and investors through the media.”
The Ukrainian leader also said his country wishes for peace but they are ready to fight for their freedom.
“We all want to live happily, and happiness loves the strong. We have never been able to give up and we are not going to learn that,” he said.
Zelensky also said he was thankful for the unified support from NATO and others.
“Along with the army, Ukrainian diplomacy is at the forefront of defending our interests. We have managed to gain diplomatic support from almost all leaders of the civilized world. Most of them have either already visited and supported Ukraine, or will do so in the near future,” he said.
“Today, everyone recognizes that the security of Europe and the entire continent depends on Ukraine and its army,” Zelensky continued.
The US and its Western allies estimate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed a force of between 130,000 and 140,000 troops along Ukraine’s border. Russian forces are also participating in joint military exercises with Belarus, Ukraine’s northern neighbor, through the end of this week.
Despite the heightened tensions, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Monday that “we still don’t believe that some final decision has been made” by Russian President Vladimir Putin about whether to invade. However, he added that “it strains credulity to think that they would have this many troops arrayed along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus simply for winter exercises.”
Putin has insisted that the military buildup is not preparation for an invasion, but he has demanded that the US and its allies agree to a number of security guarantees that include barring Ukraine from ever becoming a NATO member, rolling back NATO troops from Eastern Europe and giving assurances that missile systems and troops will not be deployed inside Ukraine.
Earlier Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with Putin that discussions over the security demands could continue.
“I don’t think our possibilities have been exhausted, but, naturally, they should not last endlessly. However, I would suggest we continue these efforts at this stage,” Lavrov said.
In Kiev, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there was “no reasonable justification” for the Russian military buildup following his meeting with Zelensky, but welcomed the prospect of ongoing talks.
“We are ready for a serious dialogue with Russia on European security issues,” said Scholz, who will travel to Moscow on Tuesday.
At the Pentagon, Kirby announced that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would depart Tuesday on a trip to Belgium, Poland, and Lithuania to meet with allied leaders and defense ministers.
With Post wires
[ad_2]