State Department won't acknowledge security aid for Ukraine embassy staff, families

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Employees of the U.S. embassy in Ukraine have claimed that the Biden administration is leaving them behind by not helping them escape to safety, and while the State Department has confirmed they are providing financial help, they have not said that they are actively assisting anyone on the ground.

Earlier this month, embassy workers sent a letter to the State Department, reported by Foreign Policy magazine, in which they claimed there had been a "change in tone and open denial of prior promises" regarding financial and safety assistance.

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"We are exploring all legal options to support our team at this difficult time," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News, noting that the administration has "already taken some important steps."

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The spokesperson went on to outline a number of actions the State Department has taken to help, such as paid administrative leave for any staff member unable to work, and "additional financial support to local staff," such as advance payment of their salaries "to help enable them to move themselves and their families to safety."

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The State Department also set up a line of communication for staff to present any questions or concerns.

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The State Department did not address the issue of security assistance. Fox News reached out to them regarding whether they have any plans for this, but they did not immediately respond.

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Meanwhile, outside organizations are helping embassy workers escape Ukraine, just as private groups helped Afghans flee Afghanistan when the U.S. withdrew from that country and the Taliban took over.

A diplomatic car drives out of the U.S. embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 12, 2022. (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

Fox News has confirmed that the State Department is not funding or otherwise assisting those groups in helping get embassy staff and their families out of the country.