Asian, European urge their citizens to leave Ukraine
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Finland like other countries, urged their citizens to leave Ukraine following warnings of a coming up war in the country neighboring Russia.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly urged the Canadians to leave Ukraine as the threat of a Russian invasion escalates.
As we continue to work closely with our partners and monitor the situation, I urge all Canadians in Ukraine to make the necessary arrangements to leave the country now,” Joly said in a statement Friday evening.
“Our advice is clear, this is a dangerous situation … you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine,” the Australian prime minister said on Saturday.
In response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the New Zealand Government advised New Zealanders in the Ukraine to leave immediately while there are commercial flights able to get them home.
The Finland foreign ministry called its citizens to leave the Ukraine immediately due to the escalation of the security situation.
Norway’s government has issued the same advice, calling for all Norwegians to leave Ukraine immediately.
Calls came after US warnings of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier the US, UK, Norway, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea and some other countries told their citizens to leave Ukraine.
The warnings came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine at any time.
Reports cited US intelligence officials as saying that Russia could order the invasion of Ukraine within days. This took place a day after the UK demanded thousands of its citizens leave Ukraine immediately24hours after US released a similar demand.
The European Union’s diplomatic service told its non-essential staff in Kyiv to leave, but not evacuating.
The developments followed information obtained by the US intelligence that Russia is going to invade Ukraine this week.
After that the US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, “We are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it.”
Sullivan urged the immediate leaving of the US citizens stressing that the US is not going back to rescue anyone.
All Americans should leave Ukraine within 48 hours because the “danger is escalating,” Sullivan warned.