US officially moves Ukraine embassy operations to Poland

The State Department confirmed Thursday that U.S. embassy operations in Ukraine have been officially suspended following the Ukrainian government’s declaration of an emergency amid the Russian invasion.

A State Department spokesperson told The Hill that the core team previously working from Lviv is temporarily working from Poland.

“They remain there and are not currently traveling over the border to Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continually assess the security situation to determine when it may be safe for U.S. government personnel to return to Ukraine to conduct diplomacy on the ground and provide in-person consular services,” the spokesperson added.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced earlier this week that embassy operations would be relocated to Poland ahead of an expected Russian invasion of Ukraine.

That came after the U.S. last week had already relocated the embassy’s operations from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to Lviv, which is in western Ukraine and farther away from the country’s border with Russia. 

The State Department emphasized Thursday that its support transcends one location and that there are many ways it can continue communication and coordination with those inside and outside Ukraine while not being present in the country.

“The fact that we’re taking prudent precautions for the sake of the safety of our staff in no way undermines our support for, or our commitment to, Ukraine,” the statement said.

It added that the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s “pre-meditated and unprovoked aggression are unwavering.”

It further asked U.S. citizens seeking emergency assistance to complete an online crisis form. The State Department said it is not able to offer in-person emergency consular services from Lviv, Ukraine, at this time.

“U.S. citizens may seek consular services at U.S. Embassies in neighboring countries,” the spokesperson added.