The European Union said Monday it will not follow the United States’ decision to evacuate some personnel and family members from the embassy in Ukraine.
“We are not going to do the same thing,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell declared when asked about the situation, Fox News reported.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also issued a statement amid news of the U.S. decision to begin some evacuations. She said “the EU stands by Ukraine in these difficult circumstances” and announced “a new financial assistance package to the country made of both emergency loans and grants.”
“We are firm in our resolve,” von der Leyen said. “The EU has already provided significant assistance to Ukraine, both to support the country’s resilience and modernisation, and specifically to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2014, the EU and European financial institutions have allocated over EUR 17 billion in grants and loans to the country.”
Von der Leyen said the newly announced package “will help Ukraine now to address its financing needs due to the conflict.” Russia has been building up its forces at the Ukraine border for months, and efforts by President Joe Biden’s administration to de-escalate the situation through diplomatic means have proven unsuccessful.
The EU stands by Ukraine. President @vonderleyen has just announced a new financial assistance package to support Ukraine.
This package will help Ukraine address its financing needs due to the conflict and support its resilience-building efforts.
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) January 24, 2022
Borrell noted he’s anxious to hear from Secretary of State Antony Blinken surrounding the State Department’s decision to issue evacuation orders, Fox News reported. (RELATED: Ukrainian President Zelensky Reminds Biden That ‘There Are No Minor Incursions’ After Press Conference Debacle)
“We are showing unprecedented unity about the situation in Ukraine, with the strong coordination with the U.S.,” Borrell said.
The State Department also urged U.S. citizens to evacuate the country Sunday, and an official told reporters that the “U.S. government will not be in a position to evacuate U.S. citizens” because “military action by Russia could come at any time.”
It is unclear exactly how many U.S. citizens remain in Ukraine, and officials have declined to give an estimate.