EU will not withdraw its diplomats from Kyiv despite Moscowʼs threats to strike the city center

The European Union will not reduce its diplomatic presence in Kyiv, despite Russia calling on foreign missions to evacuate personnel on May 9.

This was stated at a briefing by European Commission spokesman Anouar El-Announi.

"We will not change our position or presence in Kyiv. Russian attacks, unfortunately, are a daily reality both in Kyiv and in other parts of Ukraine," he noted.

A European Commission spokesman called Russiaʼs public threats to attack Kyiv "part of its thoughtless escalation tactics".

"Russia is once again trying to cynically shift the blame for its own aggression — Russiaʼs aggressive war against Ukraine — onto Ukraine," El-Anuni emphasized.

• The Russian Ministry of Defense reported a ceasefire with Ukraine for May 8-9. Later, it was clarified that it would come into effect from 00:00 on May 8 to May 10. The countryʼs Foreign Ministry called on foreign diplomatic missions to "evacuate" personnel from Kyiv in advance, as they promised a massive missile strike on the city center if Ukraine broke the ceasefire.
• Ukraine instead declared a ceasefire from 00:00 on the night of May 5 to 6. The Russians violated it. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would respond to Russiaʼs strikes in a mirror manner.

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