President Biden announced on Monday that he intends to nominate Bridget Brink to serve as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
Driving the news: The U.S. has not had an ambassador to Ukraine since former President Trump removed Marie Yovanovitch from the position in 2019.
The big picture: The White House's announcement follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, the first time top U.S. officials have traveled to Ukraine since the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion.
- Blinken announced during the visit that U.S. diplomats would return to Ukraine this week, the State Department said in a statement.
- Blinken also told Zelensky that Brink would be nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to his country, adding that, if confirmed by the Senate, she would "lead our diplomatic mission in Ukraine with dedication and distinction."
Background: Brink, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serves as U.S. ambassador to Slovakia.
- Between 2015 and 2018, Brink served as deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, where she focused on issues related to Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
- She also held positions in Uzbekistan and Georgia, two former Soviet republics.
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