Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink has said she resigned from her position because she believed US President Donald Trump was repeatedly favouring Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. In a post on X, Brink stated that she stepped down after concluding that such a stance conflicted with US support for democratic allies, adding that “siding with dictators is just not who we are.”
Brink, who served in Kyiv from 2022 until her resignation in May 2025, also suggested that her successor, Julie Davis, may be stepping down for similar reasons. Davis has been serving as chargé d’affaires since taking over the role on an interim basis and is now expected to retire later this year after a diplomatic career spanning roughly three decades.
While Brink linked her departure to disagreements over Ukraine policy, the US State Department has rejected suggestions that Davis’s decision is tied to policy disputes. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott described claims of internal disagreement as inaccurate, stating that Davis has consistently supported the administration’s efforts to secure a lasting resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Reports, including one by the Financial Times, have indicated that Davis may have faced frustrations in her role due to perceived shifts in US support for Ukraine, although these claims have been officially denied. Brink has since entered domestic politics and is campaigning for a congressional seat in Michigan’s 7th District.
Analysts have pointed to broader instability in US diplomatic appointments related to Ukraine. Stephen Sestanovich of the Council on Foreign Relations described the turnover in Kyiv as reflective of what he characterised as inconsistent management within key foreign policy institutions. At the same time, he noted that the current administration appears to favour experienced diplomats for such roles.
The developments come amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Despite earlier claims by Trump that the conflict could be resolved quickly, fighting has continued well into his second term. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently indicated that Kyiv believes US attention may be shifting, particularly as Washington is also managing a separate conflict involving Iran. He suggested that the evolving geopolitical landscape could be influencing US engagement with the war in Europe.
