Israel preparing for possibility of moving embassy from Kyiv to Lviv

Israel’s Foreign Ministry says that it is sending additional staff to Ukraine to weigh the possibility of relocating its embassy in Kyiv to Lviv amid the threat of escalation.

Following a meeting of Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem to discuss the situation, the ministry says that its Kyiv embassy staff is continuing to provide consular services in the city, and has been joined by additional staff from Jerusalem. In addition, the ministry says, staff members are traveling to Lviv, in western Ukraine, further from the Russian border, to “prepare for the possibility” of moving the embassy there if necessary.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid reiterates his call for Israelis still in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible. (Fewer than 2,000 of the 10-15,000 Israelis in Ukraine have flown back to Israel this week, according to TV reports.)

“I call on Israelis who still remain in Ukraine to leave the country,” he says. “The window of opportunity to leave is closing. I am proud of our diplomats in Kyiv and the reinforcements who came from Israel for the assistance they provide to Israelis who need it.”