US appoints new ambassador to Ukraine after 3 years of vacancy
The US Senate has confirmed veteran diplomat Bridget Brink as ambassador to Ukraine, a key position that has been vacant for the past three years as Washington is increasing its support for Kiev in the war against Russia.
The appointment of Ms. Brink, who was nominated by President Joe Biden as the new US ambassador to Ukrainewas approved by the Senate on May 18 with a majority of votes.
Congressmen from both Democrats and Republicans urged the process to be expedited. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Brink’s confirmation hearing just two weeks after President Biden announced the nomination on April 25.
According to Reuters, the swift move by the US legislature underscores the bipartisan desire to send an ambassador to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he faces a campaign of military attacks by Ukraine. Russia. The unanimous appointment of Brink took place on the same day the US Embassy in Kiev reopened after being temporarily closed for 3 months due to the outbreak of hostilities on February 24.
The US Senate is expected this weekend to approve a military and humanitarian aid package worth nearly $40 billion to Kiev that the House of Representatives approved earlier.
Born in Michigan and fluent in Russian, Ms. Brink is serving as the US ambassador to Slovakia. A veteran diplomat with 25 years of experience, Ms. Brink has worked in Uzbekistan and Georgia as well as held many senior positions at the State Department and the White House National Security Council.
The position of Washington’s ambassador to Kiev has been vacant since May 2019, when the then US President Donald Trump suddenly recalled Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch back home. Yovanovitch later testified as Trump faced impeachment by Congress over allegations that he withheld military aid to Ukraine and pressured Zelensky to investigate rival Biden ahead of the 2020 election.
Tuan Anh
at Blogtuan.info – Source: vietnamnet.vn – Read the original article here
