Ex-US Ambassador to Estonia Speaks Out: ‘Historic Mistake to Cozy Up’ to Putin

In an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Wednesday, former U.S. Ambassador to Estonia James D. Melville Jr. detailed why he felt compelled to leave the ambassadorship that he has held since 2015.

“This spring, I reached the point where I could no longer support President [Donald] Trump’s policies and rhetoric regarding NATO, our European allies and Russia,” Melville wrote.

He added: “I am extremely uncomfortable with the trade policies the United States is pursuing. I also believe it is a historic mistake to cozy up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

Then, after pointing out that America works best when it works well with other nations, he stressed, “Arrogance does not suit us well. ‘America First’ is a sham.”

Melville also explained that Trump’s actions placed him an in an “untenable position.”

“Trump’s habit of denigrating our allies and their leaders while lauding Putin and other authoritarians is no way to lead. It placed me in an untenable position in Tallinn whenever I was asked, as chief of mission, to explain our intentions,” he continued on.

As a result, he said he had “no choice but to resign.”

Then, turning to the anonymous authors of the New York Times op-ed, the former ambassador said he has “no sympathy or understanding” who decide to remain at their post while talking about resisting from within.

“I certainly don’t understand an anonymous op-ed proclaiming some right to fight a rear-guard action behind the president’s back,” Melville wrote. “That approach is devoid of integrity and seems cowardly to me.”

Melville offered his resignation in July..

Read the full op-ed here.

[photo via Getty Images]