Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Brink explains the reason for her resignation
Former U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink said she resigned because she could not "faithfully carry out the administration's policies" after Donald Trump returned to the White House. She wrote about this in her column published on May 16 in the Detroit Free Press.
"I have just returned home to Michigan after three years of the hardest job of my life – serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine – supporting our democratic ally against Russia's brutal, unprovoked aggression," she wrote in her column.
Brink said she respects the president's right and responsibility to set US foreign policy – with checks and balances by Congress.
"It is the role of America's foreign policy service to pursue this policy. Unfortunately, since the beginning of the Trump administration, the policy has been to put pressure on the victim, Ukraine, not on the aggressor, Russia," the diplomat emphasized.
She noted that she could no longer fulfill the administration's policy in good faith and considered it her duty to resign.
"After almost three decades of service to the country, I have resigned as our ambassador to Ukraine," added the former ambassador to Kyiv.
The former official explained that she could not stand by "when the state is being taken over, democracy is being bombed, and children are being killed with impunity." She believes that the only way to protect the interests of the United States is to defend democracies and stand up to autocrats.
"Peace at any cost is not peace at all, it is appeasement. And history has repeatedly taught us that appeasement does not lead to safety, security or prosperity. It leads to new wars and suffering," Brink continued.
The ex-president noted that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has committed "pure evil", killing thousands of civilians, including 700 children. Russia has committed more than 150,000 war crimes, abducted 20,000 children from their families, and forced millions of men, women and children to flee to Europe and other parts of the world.
She said that for three years she had heard stories, seen cruelty and felt the pain of families whose sons and daughters had been killed and wounded by Russian missiles and drones that hit playgrounds, churches and schools.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine matters to the United States because "how we handle this war speaks volumes to both our friends and our enemies," Brink explained.
She believes that if the United States allows Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to redraw its borders, he will not stop in Ukraine. In this context, the diplomat mentioned the threat posed by the Kremlin to NATO members, as well as a signal to China.
- on April 4, 2025, Brink reacted to the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, but did not mention Russia's guilt in the deaths. For this, she was criticized by Ukrainians. President Zelenskiy called this reaction "weak".
- Already on April 6, after a new Russian attack on Ukraine, the then US ambassador indicated that the missiles came from Russia.
- On April 11, 2025, FT sources reported that Brink is resigning due to growing political differences with the Trump administration.
- On April 21, the US Embassy in Ukraine published a farewell video of the ambassador: in the minute-long video, the official reported on her work during three years of full-scale war, but did not mention Russia at all.
