Foreign diplomats from EU member states continue to work in Kyiv despite threats from Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said this on 4 October.
“Moscow is trying to intimidate Europe into reducing its support for Ukraine. That will not happen,” Mathernová wrote.
She noted that the EU Delegation continues to operate in Kyiv while paying close attention to staff security. She added that all EU countries’ embassies are also remaining in the capital.
In recent days, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said foreign diplomats should leave Kyiv or supposedly risk their lives.
“Russia has a clear goal: to weaken support for Ukraine. It will not succeed,” Mathernová stressed.
The ambassador also said that this year the EU approved defence procurement plans for Ukraine worth €28.3bn. A further €6.6bn has been earmarked for purposes linked to military assistance.
She said the European Union is also continuing to tighten sanctions against Russia. This week, the EU introduced new sanctions in connection with the deportation of Ukrainian children.
Mathernová also reported that on the morning of 4 October Russia again struck the Northern Bridge in Kyiv.
“These repeated attacks are disrupting links between the two banks of the Dnipro,” the diplomat noted.
What Happened Before?
- Russia again urged foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv, claiming that large-scale strikes on Ukraine would continue. Russia’s Foreign Ministry says the Russian army will keep attacking sites that Moscow considers military targets in Kyiv and other cities.
- The Czech Republic has already said it will not withdraw its diplomatic mission from Kyiv after Russia’s latest threats of large-scale strikes on Ukraine. Embassy staff are staying in the capital, and Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman Adam Černý said such warnings from Moscow are nothing new. He said decisions would be taken in line with internal crisis procedures, while the Czech ambassador in Kyiv did not even cancel his morning run.
- The European Commission commented that the latest threats by Russia’s Foreign Ministry against foreign diplomats in Kyiv indicate that Moscow is trying to intimidate European countries and force them to scale back support for Ukraine.