Monday was the day President Biden nominated Bridget A. A., a career diplomat. Brink, to serve as ambassador to Ukraine, moving to fill a critical post amid Russia’s invasion.
According to the White House, Ms. Brink is a Michigan native and currently serves as the ambassador to Slovakia. In 2019, Donald Trump, then-President, nominated Brink to this post.
A 25-year veteran of the foreign service, she’s focused on Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. She began her career in Belgrade (Serbia) and has served in Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. She speaks Russian, has studied Slovak and Georgian, as well as French.
The nomination is an attempt to fill a post that’s been occupied on an interim basis since 2019, when Mr. Trump ousted Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch amid messy attempts to investigate Mr. Biden and potential dirt on his son, Hunter Biden, because of his business deals in Ukraine.
The ousting was tied to wider concerns that Mr. Trump had withheld aid from Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukraine President) in order to exonerate Biden probes. The House impeached Trump. However, the Senate exonerated him during trial.
Since Amb., a number of diplomats have occupied the Ambassador post as an interim. Yovanovitch was fired.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, placing renewed emphasis on the role.
