WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2022) The decision to evacuate family members of US diplomats serving in Ukraine was made out of an abundance of caution amid alleged threats of Russian aggression, US Charge d'Affaires in Kiev Kristina Kvien said in an interview.
"I would say that as a Charge d'Affaires, my number one job and challenge is to secure the safety of our diplomats and their families. So ultimately, I made the decision to send the families back home out of an abundance of caution," Kvien told MSNBC on Friday. "(I)t was the right decision to make sure that our families were safe."
The US diplomat added that she wanted to make sure the families were able to return home on commercial flights since the United States has a very large diplomatic presence in Ukraine.
In January, the US Embassy in Kiev recommended American citizens to leave the country, citing unpredictability regarding Ukraine, and the State Department authorized the voluntary departure of US direct hire employees and ordered the departure of eligible family members of diplomats from the embassy.
The situation around Ukraine has worsened over the past several months after the United States and its allies accused Russia of a troop buildup near the border with Ukraine in preparation for an invasion. Russia has said it does not plan to attack any country, saying it reserves the right to move troops inside its territory. Russia has also said it considers the plans by NATO to expand further eastward as a threat to its national security.
