Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Writes Open Letter Condemning Trump's Actions

Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink has spoken out sharply about Trump's policy on Russian aggression in Ukraine. Her open letter was published by the publication Detroit Free Press.

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Brink, a Grand Rapids native, resigned as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine in April after nearly 30 years of U.S. diplomatic service.

“I just returned home to Michigan after three years in the most difficult job of my life – I was the US Ambassador to Ukraine, supporting our democratic ally in the face of brutal and unprovoked aggression from Russia.

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I have proudly served five presidents, both Republican and Democratic, to ensure that the United States remains the strongest and greatest country the world has ever known.

I respect the right and responsibility of the President to determine U.S. foreign policy – ​​with the proper checks and balances from the U.S. Congress… Unfortunately, from the very beginning of the Trump administration, the course has been to put pressure on the victim – Ukraine – and not on the aggressor – Russia.

That is why I could no longer faithfully implement the administration's policies and felt it was my duty to resign. After nearly thirty years of service to our country, I have resigned as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine.

I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, democracy is bombed, and children are killed with impunity. I believe the only way to protect American interests is to stand with democracy and oppose autocrats. Peace at any price is not peace at all, it is appeasement. And history has taught us again and again that appeasement does not lead to security, stability, or prosperity. It leads to more war and more suffering.

"Pure Evil"

Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it has committed what can only be described as pure evil: killing thousands of civilians, including 700 children, with missiles and drones striking their homes and apartments in the middle of the night.

It committed more than 150 war crimes, kidnapped 000 children, and forced millions of men, women and children to flee to European and other countries.

For three years, I have heard the stories, seen the brutality, and felt the pain of families whose sons and daughters have been killed or injured by Russian missiles and drones that have struck playgrounds, churches, and schools. In a career spent in conflict zones, I have seen mass atrocities and merciless destruction, but Europe has not seen such systematic, widespread, and horrific violence since World War II.

What we do matters

Why does Russia's invasion of Ukraine matter to the United States?

Because how we handle this war will say a lot to both our friends and our enemies. If we allow Putin to redraw borders by force, he will not stop at Ukraine. Judging by his own statements, his goal is to restore the imperial past, and he cannot do that without threatening the security of our NATO allies.

And if Putin succeeds, it will send a signal to China that will undermine the security balance in Asia and around the world. And that will have profound implications for America’s security, stability, and prosperity.

Europe is our largest trading partner, with $1,6 trillion in mutual trade, supporting 16 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic… Maintaining 80 years of peace after World War II – and with it economic growth, trade, and real jobs – is what is at stake in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

But Russia's war is not just about foreign policy or economics. It is a question of our identity.

The US must lead the free world

My grandfather, who grew up in Charlotte, Michigan, proudly served our country during World War II… My grandparents didn’t see each other for three years, and my mother didn’t recognize my father when he returned from the war. But they understood what it meant to do the right thing.

The America I love, the one our grandfathers served, would never have stood by and allowed such horrors to happen.

I would never refuse to help my friends. I would never agree to appease an aggressor.

We must hold fast to who we are. We are a fair, generous, and hardworking people, blessed with a democratic and accountable government, the world’s largest free-market economy, and the most powerful military in human history. We must show leadership in the face of aggression, not weakness or complicity. When America fails to lead the free world, our own success as a nation is at stake.

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This is the America I love and am proud to serve every day.

I am no longer an American diplomat, but I will never stop believing in the need for American leadership to secure our future and remain a beacon of hope and opportunity for every American and countless people around the world."

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