EU diplomats refuse to leave Kyiv as Russia warns of massive strikes
The EU's ambassador to Ukraine has publicly defied Moscow's demand that foreign diplomats leave Kyiv, declaring on X: 'Our response: we are staying.'
The European Union’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv is staying put despite a direct Russian warning of massive new strikes on the Ukrainian capital, EU ambassador Katarína Mathernová said on Sunday.
“Russia is sending foreign diplomats in Kyiv a message: leave or risk your lives. Our response: we are staying. The EU Delegation is staying,” Mathernová wrote on X, according to Ukrainian outlet Mezha. “The threats will not stop Europe’s support for Ukraine; they only remind us why it matters.”
Russia’s foreign ministry warned on October 3 that foreigners and diplomats should leave Kyiv, saying “massive” new strikes would hit the city’s “decision-making centres” in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian military facilities. Its statement said “responsibility for any potential negative consequences rests entirely with those who ignore this warning,” the Straits Times reported.
The European Commission backed the stance: spokesperson Christian Wigand said on October 3 that the EU had no intention of reducing support for Ukraine, and that Moscow’s pressure would not affect the work of the EU mission, the New Voice of Ukraine reported.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry on October 2 denied reports that Western embassies were planning to evacuate staff to Lviv or eastern Poland. The Guardian reported diplomats publicly confirmed their presence in Kyiv but had discussed contingency plans privately. Mathernová told AFP that “nobody is moving”, though embassies always kept contingency plans, including for winter.
The defiance came as Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv on Sunday, where he was expected to announce about €350 million for generators, transformer stations and grid repairs, the Straits Times said. Russia has admitted deliberately targeting Ukraine’s energy sector as winter approaches.
Sources: Mezha (https://mezha.net/eng/news/b97de388_eu_mission_continues/), New Voice of Ukraine (https://english.nv.ua/nation/eu-maintains-ukraine-support-despite-russian-threats-to-diplomats-in-kyiv-50646909.html), Straits Times (https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russia-strikes-hit-kyiv-as-germanys-merz-visits)
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