Russia has recently threatened to launch an attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and urged foreigners, including diplomats, to evacuate. In response to this imminent threat, representatives from Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and the European Union convened with Russian delegates on Tuesday (May 26).
According to Russian officials on Monday, they are planning to attack military targets and decision-making centers in Kyiv. Just a day prior, the city had experienced one of the most intense bombardments since the outbreak of the conflict.
A spokesperson for the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Department announced on Tuesday that the EU’s diplomatic service had met with the Russian interim charge d’affaires.
Spokesperson Anitta Hipper posted on the social media platform X, condemning Russia’s threat to foreign citizens and diplomats to evacuate Kyiv as an unacceptable escalation, and called on Moscow to “stop attacking civilians.” She further stated that the EU delegation would remain steadfast in Kyiv.
In response to the EU’s firm stance on staying in Kyiv, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, sarcastically remarked on social media, “It seems they have enough diplomats to sacrifice.”
Meanwhile, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that he had met with Russian Ambassador Nikolai Korchunov to address the “clear threats to foreign personnel in Ukraine.”
Sweden also summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday evening to “condemn Russia’s false accusations of violating airspace in the Nordic-Baltic region, as well as threats to Latvia and other countries in the region.”
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, also issued a warning, stating that Russia is attempting to “destabilize” the entire Europe. She stood alongside the presidents of the Baltic States to demonstrate unwavering support for the region.
The Russian Embassy in Germany rejected the EU’s protests, claiming that their actions aim to conduct “surgical strikes” against Ukrainian military targets.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, stated that the impending attack is a response to the “continual terrorist attacks” in Kyiv and urged Americans to leave Kyiv as soon as possible.
The incident referenced by the Russian side occurred last Friday in a student dormitory in the Luhansk region controlled by Russian forces in Ukraine, where a drone attack resulted in the death of 21 people. The Ukrainian military vehemently denied Russia’s accusations and clarified that their target was actually an elite Russian drone command unit stationed in the area.