The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is leaving her post, the State Department announced Thursday, a move that may complicate the already delicate relationship between Washington and Kyiv, which has been strained by President Trump’s efforts to end the war.
“Ambassador Brink is stepping down,” a State Department spokesperson said in an email, referring to the U.S. envoy to Ukraine, Bridget A. Brink. “She’s been the ambassador there for three years — that’s a long time in a war zone.”
The State Department’s chief spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, later confirmed Ms. Brink’s departure at a daily press briefing, saying, “We wish her well.” She declined to discuss the matter further. Ms. Brink could not be immediately reached for comment.
It was not immediately clear whether Ms. Brink resigned voluntarily, was asked to step down by the new Trump administration, or a combination of both. President Trump has shifted America’s Ukraine policy since taking office, including temporarily cutting off military aid to Kyiv and pressuring it to sign a contentious deal to get a major stake in Ukraine’s minerals and energy projects.
The State Department did not say when exactly Ms. Brink would leave her post or who would succeed her. Amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, the position of U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv has been among the most demanding in the foreign service, including involvement in coordinating the military and financial aid that has formed the backbone of Ukraine’s war effort.
As Ms. Brink’s departure was announced on Thursday evening, a Ukrainian delegation was on its way to Washington to negotiate the minerals deal, which Mr. Trump has portrayed as a way to “recoup” past U.S. aid to Ukraine.