Former ambassador Brink reveals how Trump put US embassy in Ukraine at risk
Photo: Bridget Brink (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Donald Trump administration’s decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine in 2025 came as a surprise to the US embassy in Kyiv. Washington ignored its own diplomats, former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said in an interview with Reuters.
The diplomat recalled that in March 2025, the Trump administration paused all military assistance to Ukraine, including missiles for air defense systems that helped protect not only Ukrainians but also US embassy staff.
"I had 1,000 people, all civilians, on the ground. And we were protected by Ukrainians using US and other equipment," she said.
Brink stressed that the suspension of military aid to Ukraine happened without warning.
"When we tried to find out why it was stopped, we got no answer," she noted.
The diplomat said she appealed to the Pentagon, the State Department, and the White House — "everywhere that we could, because we were very concerned about what this meant not only for Ukrainians but also for our own security."
According to her, embassy staff worked behind the scenes trying to persuade the Trump administration to restore the aid, which it agreed to do on March 11. However, no official explanation was ever provided by the administration regarding why the assistance had been halted.
Brink said the final straw was Trump’s policy of "appeasement" on Ukraine — seeking closer ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin while simultaneously placing blame for Russian aggression on Ukraine.
Brink was appointed US ambassador to Ukraine during Joe Biden’s presidency. She is a Democrat.
Brink’s resignation
In April 2025, Bridget Brink stepped down from her position as US ambassador to Ukraine.
Julie Davis became the US chargé d’affaires in Ukraine following Brink’s departure.
On April 28, it was reported that Davis was also resigning due to disagreements with US President Donald Trump.
