US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink is resigning from her post, the US State Department reported, quoted by Reuters. The agency notes that this increases uncertainty in relations between Washington and Kiev, writes BTA.
Earlier, the agency reported that the ambassador was considering resigning.
"Ambassador Brink is resigning from her post. She was ambassador there for three years - that's a long time in a war zone," a State Department spokesman said.
Brink was nominated by President Joe Biden and has held the post since 2022. According to Reuters sources, she is leaving of her own free will.
If she leaves the diplomatic service, Brink will be among the highest-ranking diplomats to leave since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, the agency notes. The Trump administration is currently trying to negotiate a Russian-Ukrainian agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
Most professional employees in the US diplomatic service continue to work, regardless of the change of presidential administrations.
Brink recently came under criticism in Ukraine for her response to the Russian strike that hit a playground in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown of Krivoy Rog, killing 11 adults and 9 children. She wrote about the strike in "Ex" but did not mention Russia.
Zelensky, in turn, criticized the US embassy, calling in "Ex" the reaction as "surprisingly disappointing".
"Such a strong state, such a strong people, and yet such a weak reaction. They are afraid to even say the word "Russian" when talking about a missile that killed children," Zelensky said at the time.
However, there are no signs that what is happening is related to these criticisms, Reuters notes.