WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department is ordering the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country and allowing non-essential staff to leave Ukraine. The move comes amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine despite talks between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Department officials stress that the Kyiv embassy will remain open and that the departure of families and some non-essential personnel is not an evacuation. Officials say the decision announced Sunday has been under consideration for some time and does not reflect an easing of U.S. support for Ukraine.
