Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden say embassies staying in Kyiv despite Russian threats
The embassies of Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden said in social media posts on October 5 that they are remaining in Kyiv despite threats from the Russian Foreign Ministry directed at foreign diplomats. The posts, issued together with other heads of diplomatic missions, said Russia must comply with the Vienna Convention and norms of international humanitarian law, and declared: "We are staying in Kyiv."
Key points
- Embassies of Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden posted on social media that they are remaining in Kyiv
- The posts came in response to threats from the Russian Foreign Ministry directed at foreign diplomats
- Diplomats said Russia must comply with the Vienna Convention and norms of international humanitarian law
- The embassies declared in their messages: "We are staying in Kyiv"
- The statement follows a September 30 report by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko that debris from Russian shelling fell on the grounds of a Western embassy in the Shevchenkivskyi district
- EU Ambassador Katerina Maternova said on October 4 the EU Delegation remains in Kyiv despite Russian threats of new massive strikes
- Poland's and Estonia's foreign ministries also said their embassies remain in Kyiv
Why it matters
The joint statement signals that Western European diplomatic missions are not being deterred by Russian threats, at a moment when the Russian Foreign Ministry has explicitly warned foreign citizens and diplomatic personnel to leave Ukraine. It follows a reported incident in which debris from a Russian strike fell on the grounds of a Western embassy in Kyiv, and it underlines continued allied presence in the capital during an escalation in Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.
What happened
On October 5, the embassies of Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden posted on social media that they are remaining in Kyiv despite threats from the Russian Foreign Ministry aimed at foreign diplomats. In their posts, the embassies said that, together with other heads of diplomatic missions in Kyiv, they view with concern the Russian threats directed at diplomats and foreign citizens in Ukraine. They stated that Russia must comply with the Vienna Convention and norms of international humanitarian law, and declared: "We are staying in Kyiv." The posts came a day after EU Ambassador Katerina Maternova said on October 4 that the EU Delegation remains in Kyiv despite Russian threats of new massive strikes, and after Poland's and Estonia's foreign ministries said their embassies are staying. On September 30, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko had reported that debris from Russian shelling of the capital was found on the grounds of one of the Western embassies in the Shevchenkivskyi district.