EU embassies stay in Kyiv despite Russian threats, ambassador says
Photo: EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternová (Getty Images)
All European Union embassies remain open in Kyiv, despite Russia's threats. However, Moscow should not test the limits of the Vienna Convention, says EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternová in a comment to Suspilne.
Maternová notes that Russia's threats against diplomatic missions stem from its frustration over its lack of an advantage on the battlefield.
"We are staying in Kyiv, and so are all the other EU embassies. We are in close contact. The EU Advisory Mission is staying, and so are the EU embassies," she says.
The Ambassador emphasizes that 25 EU member states have embassies in Kyiv, and all of them are staying.
"Russia has made such threats several times already, and, in my opinion, this is a sign of frustration because they are failing to gain the upper hand on the battlefield," Maternová says.
According to her, despite Russia's threats, the EU will not stop supporting Ukraine.
"They are trying to force us to reduce our support for Ukraine. But I think we are only more determined to continue this support. There are the Vienna Conventions, which regulate the activities of diplomatic missions worldwide, and Russia would be wise not to test their limits," the EU Ambassador stresses.
Russia's threats
Russia calls on foreign diplomats in Kyiv to leave Ukraine, warning of impending large-scale attacks.
Moscow claims it will continue to strike targets in Kyiv and other cities that it describes as military facilities.
Amid these threats, media reports have emerged that Western embassies are developing scenarios to relocate their missions from Kyiv to Lviv or eastern Poland in the event of targeted attacks.
However, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies plans to evacuate foreign missions, and the European Union itself confirms that the status of the EU delegation in Kyiv remains unchanged.
At the same time, the EU states that it will not withdraw its support for Ukraine, despite Russia's threats against diplomats in Kyiv. The EU delegation's position remains unwavering, and pressure on Moscow will only increase.
