Sweden, Denmark urge citizens to leave Ukraine

Denmark and Sweden are both urging their citizens to leave Ukraine amid the threat of a possible Russian invasion. 

On Friday, Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that “all travel to Ukraine is advised against, and all Danes in Ukraine are advised to leave the country,” CNN reported.

“It is still possible to leave Ukraine by regular air routes and by road and rail. It is not possible to say whether or when those opportunities may be curtailed, and Danes in Ukraine are therefore encouraged to leave the country,” the statement continued.

Denmark’s embassy in Ukraine is still open for the time being, according to CNN. 

Sweden released a similar statement on Saturday, saying all citizens should leave Ukraine as soon as possible and advising against “all travel” to the country.

“Due to the serious and unpredictable security situation in Ukraine and its immediate area, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has today decided to advise against all travel to Ukraine and urges all Swedes who are in Ukraine to leave the country,” Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in a tweet, according to CNN.

The U.S. and Germany have also urged their citizens to leave Ukraine, and have additionally announced that they will be reducing embassy staff in the country’s capital city, Kyiv.

The U.S. will “maintain a small consular presence in Lviv, Ukraine to handle emergencies, but will not be able to provide passport, visa or routine consular services,” the U.S. State Department said in a travel advisory issued Saturday morning.

“We will keep our embassy in #Kiew open but reduce our diplomatic staff. Our Consulate General Donetsk, based in Dnipro since 2014, is temporarily being relocated to Lyiv,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, also on Saturday.

This comes amid increasing concerns in the international community that Russia will invade Ukraine, as Moscow has amassed more than 100,000 troops on the neighboring country’s border.

Biden administration officials warned Friday that a Russian invasion could begin “any day now.”