GEO Opening
US President Donald Trump was reportedly warned by Russia's President Vladimir Putin to evacuate Americans from Ukraine ahead of a threatened "systematic" blitz on Kyiv. The warning was delivered via a high-level diplomatic channel on May 25, when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov requested a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urge Washington to ensure evacuation of its diplomatic personnel before bombardment begins. Russia attributed the planned strikes to a Ukrainian attack in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Diplomatic Channel and Official Warning
Rubio confirmed to reporters that he relayed Putin's message directly to Trump, characterizing it as a "threat of escalation." The Kremlin issued a formal statement warning that any strikes would "target decision-making centres and command posts." The statement also urged foreign nationals and international staff to leave Kyiv, stating: "We are notifying foreign citizens, including the personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations of the need to leave the city as soon as possible."
Rubio told reporters: "I spoke to him yesterday about that and a couple other topics, and obviously Putin had asked him to call me to relay the message directly to the President, which I did. Kyiv has been a dangerous place for a number of years. The danger in all these wars, as they continue and go on, is that they always carry the threat of escalation... of spreading into something new."
This marked the first publicly reported contact between Rubio and Putin since May 5, when they were said to have discussed US-led peace efforts.
Background: Trigger for Russian Action
Russia reportedly said the planned strikes were in response to a Ukrainian strike in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast. The Kremlin alleged a dormitory in Starobilsk was hit, while Ukraine insisted it had struck a Russian drone command facility.
国際的な対応
ウクライナの外相アンドリー・シビハは、キエフの同盟国に対し、避難の要求に従わないよう促し、それを「ロシアによる脅迫」と表現しました。
欧州連合（EU）は避難しない意向を示しました。ウクライナ駐在のEU大使カテリーナ・マテルノヴァは、「ロシアは恐怖やパニック、ウクライナの孤立を望んでいます。うまくはいきません。EUはどこにも行きません。私たちはキエフに留まります。私たちはウクライナと共にいます」と述べました。
フランスも従うことを拒否しました。フランス外務省の報道官は、「私たちはプーチンの脅しに慣れています。避難することは論外です」と語りました。
米国はキエフでの外交的プレゼンスを維持し、首都の全面的な避難の実施は見送ることを選びました。
