Pompeo cancels visit to Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has canceled his visit to Ukraine scheduled for January 3, according to the U.S. Department of State.

"Secretary Pompeo must postpone his visit to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Cyprus due to the need for the Secretary to be in Washington, D.C., to continue monitoring the ongoing situation in Iraq and ensure the safety and security of Americans in the Middle East," the report reads.

It notes that Secretary Pompeo's trip will be rescheduled in the near future and "he looks forward to the visit at that time."

On December 30, the U.S. Department of State announced Pompeo's visit to Ukraine on January 3, during which he was scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko, and Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk.

On December 31, in Baghdad, demonstrators broke into the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, damaging a checkpoint, surveillance cameras, and windows.

op