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No plans to evacuate diplomats from Ukraine as long as talks continue — EU top diplomat

Josep Borrell noted that there was no reason to dramatize, as far as the negotiations were going on

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON/POOL

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell

© EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON/POOL

/BRUSSELS, January 24. /TASS/. The European Union has no plans to follow the US example and to evacuate the families of diplomatic staff from Ukraine as long as security talks with Russia continue, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told reporters ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday.

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US Embassy in Kiev to remain operational, Department of State says

"[US] Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken will explain to us their reasons for this announcement. We are not going to do the same thing because we don’t know any specific reasons but Secretary Blinken will inform us. I don’t think that we have to dramatize, as far as the negotiations are going on — and they are going on. I don’t think that we have to <...> leave," he pointed out.

On Sunday, the US Department of State authorized the departure of US government employees and ordered the departure of family members of US government employees at the US embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. According to a statement published on the embassy’s website, the decision was made "due to·continued Russian efforts to destabilize the country." Blinken is expected to take part in the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council via video conference.

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