Bridget Brink, who resigned as US ambassador to Ukraine, announces Michigan congressional run

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who stepped down from her position in April citing President Donald Trump’s priority of Russia over Ukraine in peace talks after Russia’s invasion, announced Wednesday she’s running for Congress in Michigan.

Brinks, a Michigan native, is running as a Democrat for the state’s 7th Congressional District, which Democrats and Republicans will both be focused on as partisan control of the area has fluctuated in recent years in battleground state Michigan. Currently, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett of Charlotte is serving his first term in the district. The seat was previously held by Democrat Elissa Slotkin before she won election to the U.S. Senate in 2024.

In an op-ed published by the the Detroit Free Press in May, Brink said despite serving under five presidents, both Republicans and Democrats, in various roles in national security and foreign policy for three decades, it became clear to her from the beginning of the Trump administration that it would pressure Ukraine to work towards peace instead of the “aggressor”, Russia.

“Peace at any price is not peace at all ― it is appeasement. And history has taught us time and again that appeasement does not lead to safety, security or prosperity. It leads to more war and suffering,” Brink said in her op-ed.

In her campaign announcement video, Brink painted a picture of the situation in Ukraine, where more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in 2022. Brink said her work as ambassador to Ukraine for three years was an exercise in America’s commitment to democracy, and allies like her had the shrapnel lodged in their homes from Russian missiles to prove it.

Brink is the first Democrat to officially throw their hat in the ring for what has the potential to be a competitive race, though there are other key Democrats who could announce a bid, including former House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township) and Matt Maasdam, a retired Navy SEAL who once served as a military aide for former President Barack Obama.

In her campaign announcement Brink touted her work in foreign policy, but also expressed pride in her family’s history in Michigan, spanning six generations. 

Brink said in the announcement that both domestically and abroad, Democracy is under attack, from the Trump administration’s approach to Russia to restrictions on abortion rights.

“Appeasing a dictator never has and never will achieve a lasting peace. And it’s just not who we are,” Brink said. “ Because of this after nearly thirty years of service I felt it was my duty to step down so I could speak out. We must stand strong against aggressors, protect democracy, fight for freedom at home and abroad and be on the right side of history.”