The United States reopened its embassy in Kyiv on Wednesday, which was closed in mid-February before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, announced the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken.
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“Today we officially resume operations at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. The people of Ukraine, with our security help, defended their homeland from the irresponsible invasion of Russia, and as a result, the Stars and Stripes once again flies over the Embassy,” he said in a statement after the raising of the American flag.
The United States had decided to move its embassy in Ukraine from Kyiv to Lviv, near the Polish border, on February 14, ten days before the start of the Russian invasion, before completely evacuating all its personnel from the country.
Following a visit to Kyiv on April 24, Antony Blinken and US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced the gradual return of an American diplomatic presence in Ukraine, given the improvement in the situation on the ground. , especially in Kyiv and its region.
Chargé d’affaires Kristina Kvien returned to Lviv on May 2 and said she hoped to return to the capital before the end of the month. She made a brief visit there on May 8 to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany.
Antony Blinken said he had taken “additional measures to strengthen the security” of American diplomats, without further details.
US President Joe Biden has named a new US Ambassador to Ukraine, diplomat Bridget Brink, who has yet to be confirmed by a Senate vote.
Several European countries have already reopened their embassies in Kyiv.
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