The United States has announced the relocation of its embassy operations from Kyiv to the western city of Lviv out of concern for the safety of embassy staff, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on February 14.
"My team and I constantly review the security situation to determine when prudence dictates a change in posture," Blinken said. “With that in mind, we are in the process of temporarily relocating our Embassy operations in Ukraine from our Embassy in Kyiv to Lviv due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces.”
Most embassy staff have already been ordered to depart Ukraine and U.S. citizens have been advised to leave the country.
The move comes as U.S. officials warn that Moscow could launch an attack on Ukraine, including on Kyiv, any day after amassing more than 130,000 troops close to the eastern border of the former Soviet republic and more forces in Belarus to the north.
"The embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine," he said. "We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis."
Earlier on February 14 Moscow signaled its willingness to continue talks with the West to ease a crisis over Ukraine as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz embarked on another round of diplomacy with a visit to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attend a joint news conference in Kyiv on February 14.
Scholz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for two hours on February 14 and urged Russia to take immediate steps toward reducing the tensions triggered by an estimated 130,000 soldiers amassed near the border with Ukraine, adding that the Kremlin should accept offers to discuss European security.
"We are ready for a serious dialogue with Russia on European security issues," Scholz told a news conference after meeting Zelenskiy, adding that Germany was extending a new credit of 150 million euros to Ukraine.
Scholz is scheduled to fly to Moscow to meet on February 15 with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
SEE ALSO: 'An Explosive Situation': Open-Source Monitors Say Russia's Military Buildup Near Ukraine Is 'Unprecedented'Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that while Moscow has "warned more than once" that negotiations can't be "endless," he also indicated there was still space for diplomacy to defuse the crisis.
"It seems to me that our possibilities are far from exhausted,” Lavrov said, speaking in a televised meeting with Putin.
The White House has said Russia may be planning to invade Ukraine "any day now," and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on February 14 said Russia continues to add “more military force and capability near Ukraine's border with each passing day.”
Kirby told MSNBC that the military buildup continues to grow stronger and more ready.
“They're exercising, so we believe that [Putin] has a lot of capabilities and options available to him should he want to use military force," Kirby said, adding that the U.S. has also not ruled out potential cyberattacks from Russia.
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Russia says it has no plan to invade Ukraine, but at the same time wants guarantees on European security issues, including a commitment by NATO not to expand to countries like Ukraine, or another former Soviet republic, Georgia.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine would continue to pursue its goal of NATO membership despite Russia's anger and skepticism from some Western countries over the move.
Zelenskiy said later in an address to the nation posted on Facebook that authorities in Ukraine and Ukrainians themselves understand all the challenges they face and expressed confidence in the military, saying it is prepared to respond to all possible forms of aggression.
“We clearly know where the foreign army is near our border, its number, its locations, equipment and its plans,” he said.
Zelenskiy also said he signed a decree declaring February 16 -- the day that he said Ukraine has been told would be the day of attack -- as a day of unity.
"On this day, we will hang national flags, wear blue and yellow ribbons and show the world our unity. We have only one European aspiration -- we want freedom and are ready to fight for it," Zelenskiy said.
Asked about Zelenskiy's reference to February 16 as the date of an attack, Kirby said he would not discuss specific intelligence but said: "It is entirely possible that [Putin] could move with little to no warning."