US Ambassador to Ukraine resigns over differences with Trump administration – FT

Bridget Brink, the US Ambassador to Ukraine, has submitted her resignation due to growing political differences with the administration of President Donald Trump, Financial Times reports, citing individuals familiar with her decision.

Source: Financial Times

Details: As FT reports, Brink faced increasing pressure from senior officials in the Trump administration, who questioned her willingness to support the White House’s new strategy on Ukraine.

Trump’s policy marks a significant departure from the Biden administration’s approach, which had provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in military and financial aid and imposed sanctions on Russia.

"Ambassador Brink is stepping down. She's been the ambassador there for three years – that's a long time in a war zone," said US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

Quote from FT: "Western diplomats in Kyiv said Brink had been a crucial advocate for Kyiv in public and private since the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. One described her as a 'strong character' and 'serious diplomat', but the pressure from Trump’s and Zelenskyy’s offices had taken a toll."

More details: Ukrainian officials reportedly viewed Brink as overly critical of their efforts to fight corruption. 

They also noted a visible shift in her messaging in recent weeks, which they said had become more aligned with Trump’s position and increasingly critical of Ukraine.

An analysis by Financial Times of Brink’s posts on social platform X (Twitter) found a marked change in tone after Trump’s inauguration on 20 January. In the 75 days prior to his inauguration, she posted 53 times criticising Russia and its war against Ukraine. In the 75 days following it, she published just five posts mentioning Russia, none of which blamed it for the war.

Background: 

• Reports of Brink’s possible resignation first surfaced earlier on Thursday 10 April, referring to anonymous sources. 
• The US State Department later confirmed her departure, attributing it to the conclusion of a three-year tenure under wartime conditions.
• Recently, Brink faced public criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after she failed to mention Russia in a post about the deadly Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih on 4 April.

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