During a press briefing, Bruce said Brink is “returning home” after serving three years in wartime Ukraine and noted her “incredible work.” “We wish her all the best,” Bruce said.
Previously, three CBS News sources reported that Brink planned an early departure from her post. One senior U.S. official attributed the resignation to “an unusual combination of personal and political issues,” including recent cuts at USAID.
Reuters reported that Brink’s resignation “could inject new uncertainty” into relations between Washington and Kyiv. She has served as ambassador in Kyiv since May 2022.
It remains unclear who will replace Brink as ambassador, Reuters noted. A U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said that Chris Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Europe and Policy, is under consideration. Smith previously served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv from 2022 to 2023.