President Joe Biden’s administration is sending weapons into Ukraine and pulling Americans out as trans-Atlantic allies await a potential major Russian offensive.
“As President Biden has said, military action by Russia could come at any time,” a senior State Department official told reporters on Sunday evening. “The United States government will not be in a position to evacuate U.S. citizens in such a contingency.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken ordered “eligible family members” of U.S. diplomats in Kyiv to leave the country and granted permission for “non-emergency U.S. government employees” to depart if they so choose. In parallel, the U.S. and other NATO members are racing to deliver weaponry that might increase the cost of a prospective assault.
“In addition to our diplomatic coordination, we are assisting Ukraine with new lethal defensive security systems, including ammunition to the front-line defenders of Ukraine,” the senior State Department official said. “The first of several shipments for Ukrainian Armed Forces, totaling $200 million, arrived in Kyiv on January 22, yesterday — and more will arrive in the weeks to come.”
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Russia denies any intention of launching a new invasion of Ukraine, but Moscow has mobilized forces around Ukrainian borders and has deployed Russian troops into Belarus, another former Soviet vassal state that shares a border with Ukraine just a couple hours north of the capital city of Kyiv.
“We have noted with concern the so-called exercises that Russia says it will be doing in Belarus, and this is part of that larger picture that we will watch with care as it unfolds,” the senior State Department official said. “And we are continuing to speak quite publicly about our concerns about Russia’s military buildup, whether it’s on Russia’s border with Ukraine or whether it’s in Belarus.”
Ukraine’s neighbors in the Baltics received permission to transfer U.S.-made weaponry in the possession of their respective militaries — anti-armor Javelin missiles, in the case of Estonia, while Lithuania and Latvia are furnishing anti-aircraft Stinger missiles. Estonia hoped to send artillery rounds purchased originally from Germany, but the German government vetoed that aid.
“Weapons deliveries would not be helpful at the moment — that is the consensus in the federal government,” German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Friday.
That decision coincided with an unguarded statement by Germany’s top naval officer, who resigned Saturday amid a backlash against his comment that Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening Ukraine out of a desire for “respect” from Europe.
“Is Russia really interested in … a small, tiny strip of Ukraine’s soil? No, this is nonsense,” Vice-Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach opined during a trip to India. “What he really wants is respect. And my God, giving someone respect is low cost, even no cost … so if I was asked, it is easy to even give him the respect he really demands, and probably also deserves.”
The combination of those policies and remarks from German defense officials drew a public rebuke from Kyiv.
“Today, the unity of the West with Russia is more important than ever. To achieve it and deter the Russian Federation, we are all working together,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. ”German partners must stop such words and actions to undermine unity and encourage Vladimir Putin to a new attack on Ukraine.”
Blinken’s team was at pains to communicate that the reduction of the U.S. diplomatic presence did not imply a drop in support for Ukraine.
“These are prudent precautions that in no way undermine our support for or commitment to Ukraine,” the senior State Department official said. “And we continue to avow our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity … the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is going to continue to operate in an uninterrupted way to support Ukraine at this critical moment.”
Still, U.S. officials urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country while they can — and avoid Russia, too. The State Department cited the risk of a new invasion in “do not travel” alerts for Ukraine and also Russia.
“Given the ongoing volatility of the situation, U.S. citizens are strongly advised against traveling by land from Russia to Ukraine through this region,” the State Department’s travel warning for Russia stated. “In addition, there is the potential throughout Russia of harassment toward foreigners, including through regulations targeted specifically against foreigners.”
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Blinken’s team urged “all U.S. citizens in Ukraine to complete an online form so that we may better communicate with you. This is especially important if you plan to remain in Ukraine.”
