Lavrov urges Rubio to evacuate US diplomats from Kyiv

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evacuate American diplomats from the US embassy in Kyiv. The call came during a phone conversation on Monday, according to Russia's Foreign Ministry.

Russian Foreign Minister [Sergei Lavrov](/politicians/sergei-lavrov) urged the United States on Monday to evacuate its diplomatic personnel from the American embassy in Kyiv, according to a statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry. The appeal was made during a phone conversation between Lavrov and US Secretary of State [Marco Rubio](/politicians/marco-rubio).

The move signals heightened tensions around the Ukrainian capital, as Moscow appears to be issuing a warning that Kyiv could be targeted in future strikes. Such calls to evacuate diplomatic staff from a war zone are often interpreted as precursors to or signals of imminent military escalation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the contents of the call without providing further detail on the specific threat assessment behind the recommendation. It remains unclear how Washington responded to the suggestion.