US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink will step down, the State Department said, leaving the post vacant a time when crucial peace negotiations are under way between Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow.
Appointed by former President Joe Biden, Brink has served as ambassador in Kyiv since May 2022, navigating US-Ukraine relations during a critical period marked by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"Ambassador Brink is stepping down. She's been the ambassador there for three years -- that's a long time in a war zone," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on April 10.
She is expected to leave her post in the coming weeks.
SEE ALSO: Russia Launches Spring Offensive As Ukraine Invades Belgorod RegionBrink's tenure spanned two presidential administrations that have differed in their policies toward Ukraine.
Relations with Moscow deteriorated to post-Cold War lows under the Biden administration, which broke off communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid Europe's largest land war since World War II.
Conversely, the Trump administration has reestablished direct contact with the Kremlin -- Trump and Putin have spoken by phone at least twice in recent months -- and Washington is currently attempting to mediate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
Brink is the latest senior career diplomat to resign under the current administration, including John Bass, the State Department’s third-highest official, who stepped down in January.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Mourns Children Killed In Deadly Russian Attack On Zelenskyy's HometownNo reason was given for Brink's decision to step down, but Reuters quoted sources as saying the move was made of her own volition.
Brink faced criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for her response to last week's deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih, which killed 20 people at a restaurant and nearby playground, including nine children.
In a social media post about the April 4 attack, Brink did not mention Russia as being responsible, prompting Zelenskyy to express disappointment.
In a post about a Russian missile strike two days later, the diplomat mentioned Russia.
“As of 6:30 a.m., Kyiv and the rest of Ukraine remain under fire from ballistic and cruise missiles from Russia. Loud explosions in the capital and reports of attacks in several cities,” Brink wrote on X on April 6.