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US Ambassador to Ukraine is stepping down in the coming weeks, the State Department confirmed. Her exit could impact Washington's diplomatic efforts as the war in Ukraine continues and peace talks struggle to gain ground.
Brink has been serving as ambassador in Kyiv since May 2022.(Photo: X/@USAmbKyiv)
UPDATED: Apr 11, 2025 00:09 IST
US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink is stepping down from her role, a State Department spokesperson said on Thursday. If she leaves, it may introduce uncertainty into the relationship between Russia and the United States, particularly during the ongoing war.
Brink has been serving as ambassador in Kyiv since May 2022. She was appointed by former President Joe Biden. According to news agency Reuters, she would be leaving on her own accord and not due to pressure from anyone. The US State Department has not made any official statement on the issue yet.
If she does resign, Brink would be amongst the most experienced diplomats to depart the US foreign service since President Donald Trump took office. Other senior officials have also recently resigned, including John Bass, the State Department's third-ranking official, who departed in January.
Her departure would come amid US efforts to assist Ukraine and Russia to establish a peace deal. Washington is trying to bring the two war-torn nations to the table to establish temporary ceasefires.
WHO WILL REPLACE BRIDGET BRINK?
It remains unclear who may succeed as the next US ambassador to Ukraine. However, one candidate whose name has been floated is Chris Smith, who is now the deputy assistant secretary for regional affairs and Eastern Europe. Smith has prior experience in Ukraine, as he was the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Kyiv between 2022 and 2023.
Under two US administrations with quite distinct strategies regarding Ukraine, Brink served as ambassador during that period. She recently came under criticism in Ukraine for how she handled a deadly Russian missile strike that hit President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, Kryvyi Rih.
On X, Brink announced the tragedy, but she was not specific regarding the attacker's nationality as Russian. This triggered backlash from the Ukrainian President, Zelenskyy.
"Such a strong country, such a strong people, and yet such a weak reaction," Zelenskyy said. “They are afraid to even say the word ‘Russian’ when speaking about the missile that murdered children.”
Tragically, three-year-old Tymofii died in the hospital today. Seven-year-old Radyslav. Arina, who will forever be seven as well. Nine-year-old Herman. Fifteen-year-old Danylo. Fifteen-year-old Mykyta. Fifteen-year-old Alina. Kostiantyn, who will forever be sixteen. Nikita – pic.twitter.com/3jz4XS0YgI— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 5, 2025
However, reports claimed that this incident likely did not influence Brink to think about stepping down. It remains uncertain whether Brink has formally filed her resignation.
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Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Apr 11, 2025
