[Text/Insight China.com Chen Sijia] According to a report by the Associated Press on April 10, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State confirmed that Bridget Brink, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, is about to resign, but did not mention the specific reasons for her resignation or the exact time of her departure.

Brink is a senior U.S. diplomat who joined the U.S. Department of State in 1996. She served as the U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia from 2019 to 2022. Since May 2022, Brink has been serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. She is a staunch supporter of military aid to Ukraine and has expressed support for Ukraine through social media and speeches.

On April 10 local time, the U.S. Department of State stated in an email that Brink is about to resign, "She has served as ambassador there for three years, which is a long time for a war zone." Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, subsequently confirmed this news at a press conference.

Bruce said, "During the conflict, Ambassador Brink spent three years at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. During these three years, she performed exceptionally well, and we wish her all the best. Of course, this is also a reminder that when we think about issues around dialogue, we know that we are working towards peace, which is our focus."

The Associated Press noted that after Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Brink and several other U.S. ambassadors submitted their resignation letters to the incoming Trump administration, but their requests were not accepted at the time. It is unclear whether the Trump administration has determined Brink's successor; some U.S. officials revealed that the Trump administration was already considering several candidates.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink Visual China

According to multiple sources cited by the Financial Times, due to Trump's efforts to "quickly end the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and his attempts to restore relations with Russia, Brink's policy differences with the Trump administration have grown increasingly pronounced. Senior officials in the Trump administration constantly put pressure on Brink, accusing her of unwillingness to support Trump's Ukraine strategy.

However, on the other hand, Brink's relationship with the Ukrainian government has gradually deteriorated. Many Ukrainian officials believe that after Trump took office, the message conveyed by Brink changed, and her statements began to align with Trump's stance.

On April 4 local time, a Russian missile attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine resulted in 19 deaths.

On the day of the attack, Brink posted on social media: "Tonight, a ballistic missile struck near an amusement park and restaurant in Kryvyi Rih, injuring more than 50 people, including 16 dead, six of whom were children. This is why the conflict must end."

This statement provoked dissatisfaction from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who accused Brink of being unwilling to criticize Russia. Zelenskyy stated on social media: "Unfortunately, the reaction from the U.S. embassy was surprisingly disappointing: such a powerful country and such strong people could only respond so weakly. They even dared not mention the word 'Russia' when discussing the attack."

The Financial Times statistics show that Brink's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict indeed underwent a noticeable change before and after Trump became president, particularly reducing criticism of Russia. In the first 75 days before Trump assumed office, Brink criticized Russia and its military actions 53 times. In the first 75 days after Trump took office, she mentioned Russia only five times.

However, sources indicated that the deterioration in relations with Ukraine was not the reason for Brink's resignation.

As news of Brink's resignation spread, the Ukrainian delegation was heading to the United States to discuss a mineral agreement with the Trump administration. According to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," Deputy Prime Minister Striletsyna confirmed that U.S. and Ukrainian delegations would meet on April 11 local time to conduct technical consultations on the mineral agreement.

According to the draft agreement disclosed earlier, the Trump administration attempted to use this agreement to gain control over Ukraine's key minerals, but the draft provided no security guarantees to Ukraine. On April 10, Striletsyna said: "I cannot reveal any details now because the meeting will take place tomorrow, and I will be able to comment tomorrow."

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/749185264030258/

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