U.S. Sending Diplomats Back to Ukraine

Following a high level trip to Kyiv over the weekend, the Biden administration on Monday confirmed it intends to return its diplomats to Ukraine in the coming days, with the goal of reopening its embassy in Kyiv, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The move came as the White House announced it would nominate Bridget Brink, the current U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. 

Brink is a career foreign service officer who has spent much of her career at the State Department focused on Europe and Eurasia.

The American Embassy in Kyiv moved its operations across the border in February as the Russian military moved in and surrounded Kyiv, but the State Department made it clear on Monday that those officials would soon be returning.

"We will have American diplomats back in Ukraine..." Secretary Blinken told reporters. "They'll then start the process of looking at how we actually reopen the embassy itself in Kyiv."

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a readout of the visit by Blinken and Austin to Kyi that the increased U.S. presence "demonstrates our support for Ukraine and is part of the U.S. commitment to return our diplomats to our Embassy in Kyiv as soon as possible."

"This action will strengthen the Department's ongoing commitment to facilitate humanitarian relief efforts and the delivery of assistance to the Government of Ukraine, while providing enhanced support to U.S. citizens," Price noted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged allies to bring their diplomatic presence back to Kyiv and has encouraged foreign leaders to visit the country as a show of support in the face of Russian aggression.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.