US ambassador to Ukraine to step down, State Department confirms

US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink is stepping down after three years in Kyiv, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed on Thursday.

"We wish her well, and that's really all we would say in that regard," Bruce told reporters at a press briefing.

"Ambassador Brink's been ambassador at the embassy in Ukraine for three years during a time of war. For those three years, an extraordinary performance there, and we wish her well," she said.

Declining to provide details about Brink's departure or future plans, Bruce emphasized the administration's continued focus on supporting Ukraine and seeking an end to the conflict.

"At the same time, we know that we're working for that war to end, and that is our focus, and we expect, of course, our work that will continue in that regard," she added.

CBS News, citing one senior US official, reported that Brink's resignation stems from an unusual mix of personal and policy concerns, including recent USAID layoffs.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had initially intended to keep Brink, a career foreign service officer, in the post and is said to have declined her first resignation, which she submitted in January as part of the standard turnover between administrations, the news channel said.