Ex-Ambassador to Ukraine Explains Resignation Over Trump's Russia Policies

Resignation Over Policy Shift

• 📌 Bridget Brink, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, resigned after three years due to a marked change in policy towards Russia and Ukraine under the current administration.
• ⚠️ She states that the policy has been to put pressure on Ukraine as the victim, rather than on Russia as the aggressor, which she describes as "appeasement".
• 💡 Brink emphasizes that appeasing aggressors historically leads to more war.

Diplomatic Career and Decision to Resign

• 💼 Brink, a career diplomat for 28 years serving five administrations, found her decision to resign was not hasty but developed over the first three months of the administration.
• 📉 Key signs included the Oval Office meeting, withdrawal of security and intelligence assistance, and a shift in language from "Russia's war of aggression" to the "Russia Ukraine war".
• 🎯 She believes the administration's goals to end the war can only be achieved by calling out the aggressor and pressuring Russia.

Advice for Ending the War

• 💰 Brink advises President Trump to immediately impose more sanctions on Russia, particularly on its energy sector and oil sales, which fuel the war machine.
• 🏦 She also suggests leveraging the $300 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets to help Ukraine defend itself and replenish the US defense industrial base.
• ⚔️ She argues that doubling down on efforts to make it harder for Russia to wage war will undercut Putin's war machine, despite his claims of winning.

Geopolitical and Moral Implications

• 🌍 Brink warns that if Putin is successful in changing borders by force, he will continue his aggression, sending a terrible signal to China and others globally.
• 🤝 Putin's goal is to disrupt the strong relationship between the US and the EU, which is crucial for American economic interests.
• ✨ She highlights that promoting freedom and supporting democracies is fundamental to America's identity and global standing, advocating for an America that leads with allies and partners.

American Interests and Ukraine's Future

• 🇺🇸 Brink asserts that supporting Ukraine's interest in remaining a free country and deterring Russia aligns with American interests.
• ⚖️ The manner in which the war ends is important to the US on political, economic, and moral levels, reflecting who Americans are.
• ✅ She believes that ending the war is in America's best interest, but how it concludes is paramount.