Interim head of US embassy in Ukraine arrives in Kyiv

Julie S. Davis, the new U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv, the U.S. Embassy announced on May 5.

Her arrival follows the resignation of Ambassador Bridget Brink, who had served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine since 2022. Diplomats in Kyiv said that Brink’s exit was primarily due to fundamental disagreements with the direction of U.S. policy under U.S. President Donald Trump.

Davis currently serves as U.S. ambassador to Cyprus and previously held posts as ambassador and special representative for Belarus, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Europe and the European Union, and deputy permanent representative to NATO.

Davis will serve as Washington’s top diplomatic representative in Kyiv until a new ambassador is appointed.

In a statement, the embassy said Davis arrives "at a critical moment to advance President Trump’s policy focused on ending the war and securing lasting peace and prosperity for Ukraine."

During his 2024 election campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. While his administration has made efforts to bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table, progress has been limited. Trump's team has pressured Kyiv to make concessions to Russia, without applying visible pressure on Moscow to halt its aggression.

The U.S. has been Kyiv's leading military supporter throughout the full-scale war, though Trump has yet to approve any new aid packages. A possible exit from the peace efforts raises concerns that the U.S. might also cease all backing for Ukraine, including intelligence support.

Brink initially attempted to align with Trump’s shift in policy toward rapprochement with Russia, though her cautious messaging, especially after deadly Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih that killed 20 people, drew public criticism from Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky.

Brink’s departure followed that of another embassy official, Foreign Service Officer Kraig Cook, who resigned in February in protest over what he called the administration’s "parroting of Kremlin talking points."

In his resignation letter, seen by the Kyiv Independent, Cook condemned the U.S. approach to Ukraine as predatory and accused embassy leadership of silence in the face of Russian aggression.

The statement also highlights the signing of a long-awaited agreement to establish a Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.

Ukraine and the U.S. on April 30 signed a minerals agreement that establishes a joint investment fund in Ukraine. The deal was negotiated over several months and led to a low point in bilateral relations following the infamous White House argument between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28.