Russia Warns All Diplomats and Foreign Nationals to Leave Kyiv Before 'Systematic' Strikes; EU, France, Poland Defy Threat

On May 25–26, 2026, Russia issued an extraordinary public warning — conveyed through Foreign Minister Lavrov and official Kremlin channels — urging all foreign embassies, diplomatic staff, and foreign nationals to evacuate Kyiv immediately before what Moscow called 'systematic and sequential strikes' on the Ukrainian capital. The warning was transmitted directly to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and European counterparts. Russia framed the threat as retaliation for 'continuing terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime,' referring in particular to Ukraine's May 22 strike in Starobilsk. The threat represented an escalation in psychological warfare: no previous Russian warning had so explicitly targeted the diplomatic community. Western governments rejected the ultimatum outright. The EU, France, Poland, and other NATO delegations publicly stated they would remain in Kyiv; European governments summoned Russian ambassadors to protest; and EU leaders described the threat as a 'sign of desperation.' Ukraine's Foreign Ministry accused Russia of attempting to 'blackmail diplomats' into abandoning Kyiv. By May 26–27, ISW and analysts noted that some Russian officials appeared to be walking back the most extreme formulations of the threat, while strikes continued on Ukrainian cities. The US denied a visa to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, who was expected to attend a UN Security Council session.