The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv shuts down due to the 'rapid intensification' of Russian military presence.

• The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, was ordered to close and its staff to relocate to the western part of the country by Secretary of State Antony Blinken due to the "rapid increase in the deployment of Russian troops" on Ukraine's border.
• On Monday, President Vladimir Putin was advised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to pursue a diplomatic approach to obtain security assurances from the West, according to Reuters.
• Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, stated on Sunday that a Russian attack on Ukraine could occur "at any moment."

On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken instructed the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to shut down and move its staff to Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, due to the "rapid intensification of Russian troop amassment" near the border.

Blinken announced that our Embassy operations in Ukraine are temporarily being moved from Kyiv to Lviv because of the rapid increase in Russian forces.

Blinken stated that he ordered these measures solely for the safety of staff and urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately.

Reports emerged that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed diplomacy to President Vladimir Putin to obtain concessions from the West, following U.S. officials' warning of a possible Russian attack on Ukraine "any day now."

Putin was advised by Lavrov to pursue a diplomatic approach to obtaining the security assurances he desires, as tensions escalate over Russia's military actions near Ukraine.

Russia is insisting that Ukraine is never allowed to join NATO and wants the organization to withdraw from its presence in Eastern Europe.

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, stated on CNN on Sunday that a Russian attack on Ukraine could occur "any day now," including this week.

On Friday, security officials in Washington, London, and Ukraine informed Politico that U.S. intelligence officers had briefed allies about the possibility of an invasion beginning on Wednesday, February 16. However, Sullivan stated on Sunday that officials cannot accurately predict the exact day.

On Tuesday, Zbigniew Rau, the current chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, will hold talks in Moscow with Sergei Lavrov and Mikko Kinnunen, the chairperson-in-office in Ukraine.

On Sunday, Ukraine requested a meeting with Russia under the Vienna Document, a treaty that promotes military transparency in Europe, signed by 56 member states.

Belarus and Russia are currently conducting a 10-day military drill involving an estimated 30,000 Russian troops, which borders Ukraine.

Russia's drills, viewed as a show of strength, involve more than 100,000 soldiers, tanks, missiles, and blood supplies being moved to its border with Ukraine.

Moscow has insisted it has no plans to invade Ukraine.

‘Ukrainians are pushed to panic’

Russia has been accused by Ukraine of creating a sea blockade in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, as officials claim that Russian forces have blocked these waters, which will begin naval drills this week, according to the BBC.

In 2014, Crimea, a peninsula in Ukraine's south, was invaded and annexed by Russia.

On Monday, Vadym Prystaiko, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.K., stated that there was intelligence indicating a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday.

He stated that the information was made public to inform the aggressor that they were aware of their plans, and if they didn't occur, it could be due to the public already knowing about their plotting.

He mentioned that there were also indications suggesting different invasion timelines.

Despite the intel, Ukrainians are panicking because airlines are canceling flights and investors are withdrawing money, making them feel abandoned.

The Ukrainian government has not received a response from Moscow about its request for a meeting, according to Prystaiko.

While that's not the only method we use to comprehend Russia, we have our own discussions, and we're not solely dependent on the West's actions for our understanding efforts; rather, we contribute our own efforts.

He pointed out that Ukraine was facing a "very difficult" and "very unfair" situation, as the country was still grappling with the concessions it made under the Vienna Document following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

We are still using the same processes in the document to try to diplomatically defuse the situation, but it's not just this situation. We've been in a war for seven years.

Diplomatic efforts continue

On Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, received a call from Joe Biden, the U.S. president.

White House officials announced that President Biden renewed the US's dedication to safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial wholeness, according to a press release.

President Biden stated that the US would react promptly and forcefully, in conjunction with its allies and partners, to any additional Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leaders concurred on the significance of maintaining diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia's military buildup near Ukraine's borders.

After a call with Putin on Saturday, Biden made it clear that the U.S. and its allies would respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia.

The White House stated that Biden conveyed to Putin that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would result in "widespread human suffering" and "diminish Russia's standing." Biden added that while the U.S. and its allies were ready for diplomacy, they were also prepared for other possibilities.

Diplomatic discussions with Russian ministers have been held by U.S. allies, including the U.K. and France, in an attempt to resolve tensions.

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, stated last week that Europe is at a critical juncture, with things being as perilous as he has ever seen in Europe for a very long time.

The G-7 finance ministers, consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S., issued a statement on Monday, declaring their commitment to financially support Ukraine. They pledged to impose economic and financial sanctions that would have significant and immediate effects on the Russian economy if Moscow engages in any further military aggression against Ukraine.

Last month, Bob Menendez, the head of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, announced that the committee was working on a severe sanction against Russia, which would have a devastating impact on their economy, as a way to protect Ukraine.

The same stance has been taken by German and British officials, who have stated that Russia will face significant economic repercussions if it engages in any hostile actions against Ukraine.

While some Western countries have provided military aid to Ukraine, Germany has declined to send weapons to the country. Chancellor Scholz will visit Kyiv on Monday to meet Zelenskyy and Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Scholz stated that a Russian attack on Ukraine would result in severe consequences and sanctions that have been meticulously prepared and can be implemented promptly, according to Reuters.

The news agency reported that Berlin did not anticipate "concrete results" from the talks, but Scholz would stress the importance of the Kremlin not underestimating the unity between the European Union, United States, and Britain.

On Monday, Jan Friedrich Kallmorgen, the founder and managing partner of Berlin Global Advisors, stated on CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" that it was strategically wise for Biden to lead the diplomatic effort.

According to Kallmorgen, Putin doesn't take international organizations like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or the EU seriously, he prefers to communicate bilaterally, he enjoys being in the spotlight, he values visits from French President Emmanuel Macron and Scholz, and the ultimate goal is to maintain a strong relationship with the United States.

It is likely that the crisis will cause a significant change in foreign policies of Germany and other Western countries, resulting in increased NATO commitments.

Putin should receive a trans-Atlantic award for uniting the West more closely than it has been since 1999, according to him.

We have a clear resolve and are singing from the same hymn sheet. I believe there is a coordinated and robust answer, which is the imposition of sanctions, that is credible. Additionally, there is a willingness to increase NATO presence in NATO countries if necessary.