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James D. Melville Jr. addresses dignitaries in front of a US Army tank, during a refurbishment ceremony of the modernized NATO military base at Tapa, Estonia in 2016. (Vitnija Saldava / AP)
The US ambassador to Estonia – a NATO ally on the borders of Russia – resigned abruptly on Friday, telling his friends he could not respect the apparent hostility of President Trump to the institutions that have stabilized Europe since the end of the Cold War.
James D. Melville Jr. abandoning the embassy arrives at a crucial time for independent countries along the western border of Russia – amidst the possibility of military conflict and as Trump suggests that & # 39; he rethinks the traditional support of America to his allies in the shadow of Moscow
", Melville wrote on Facebook." Having served under six presidents and 11 state secretaries, I am Never really thought that it would reach me. "
He added:" For the president to say that [European Union] was "set up to take advantage of the states United States, attacking our piggy bank, or that "NATO is as bad as NAFTA" is not only factually false, but proves to me that it's time to leave. "
L & # 39; 39 Estonia is one of the previous controlled countries that have since joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – Align essentially with the United States and Western Europe, whose military protect Estonia against Russian aggression.
Located between Russia and the Baltic Sea, tiny Estonia has been wary of ex-occupying since 2007, when a massive cyberattack of Russian servers paralyzed the government, banks and Estonian media outlets, according to the BBC.
Since then, Russia has sent military forces into other neighboring countries – Georgia and Ukraine The Washington Post has documented how NATO fighter planes regularly moved from one base to another. Estonian air force to face the Russian warplanes that bombed the country's airspace. . Russia and NATO have recently held military exercises that some analysts consider as barely disguised simulations of a war in the Baltic region.
As for the leaders of the two most powerful countries of the conflict: Russian President Vladimir Putin seems more and more belligerent Many Russians see an aggressive and expansionist military bloc on its western border – and Trump seems more and more favorable from the point of view of the Kremlin.
[New government leaflets tell Swedes to be prepared for war]
A few months after Trump's presidency, The Post asks Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid if she is worried about Russian Military Attack
"Actually, no," she replied. "Because of NATO".
But Kaljulaid added, "I am afraid now that the determination of Western countries does not apply to Ukraine."
Trump has given him a lot more trouble since. interview
As special advocate Robert S. Mueller III looks into the possible coordination between his presidential campaign and Moscow, Trump suggested that the United States could recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula by the Russia in 2014. It seemed to undermine the European Union to which Estonia belongs. He accused other members of not spending enough on NATO and, according to Axios, denigrated the alliance in front of other world leaders.
As noted foreign policy during the resignation of Melville Friday, NATO countries fear The State Department has confirmed that Melville announced his immediate resignation Friday without entering in the details to find out why or answer questions about who is now heading the US Embassy in Iraq. Estonia.
For more than three decades as a diplomat, Melville served in the US embassies in Moscow, London and Berlin before President Barack Obama appointed him ambassador to Estonia in 2015.
Trump appoints an admiral of the retired navy, Edward Masso, to replace Melville at the end of last year – but withdrew the nomination last month for unknown reasons, according to Estonian public radio.
Melville wrote that he had planned to wait for a replacement to be approved before retiring from public service – but that his principles would not allow him to continue serving under Trump.
follow diplomats as the US ambassador to Panama, who resigned from the Trump administration last year "because my values were not his values."
"I guess I could have stayed for several more months," Melville writes near the end of his Facebook message. "I love Estonia, its wonderful people and its beautiful landscape."
"But in the end, I'm glad I did not stay, for all the reasons I just explained," he said. "So I leave willingly and with deep gratitude for being able to serve my country with integrity for many years, and with great confidence that America, which is and always has been great, will come back one day to be right . "
Here is the full text of Melville's Facebook message:
I guess it's the right time to tell my friends that I'm leaving Estonia in a month, from now on. today, July 29, to retire a private citizen after 33 years of public service.
I have always admired the professionalism of my colleagues in supporting US government policy as stated and directed by our elected leaders and their administrations, regardless of partisan politics. The DNA of an outside service officer is programmed to support the policy and we are trained right from the start, so there comes a time when we can not do it anymore, especially if the ## 147 ## 39, we are in a position of leadership, the course is honorable
Having served under six presidents and 11 state secretaries, I never really thought that it would reach me.
I really believe and I have said it many times, national interests do not change from one administration to the other. the following. 70 years ago, Senator Vandenberg pointed out that "politics stops at the water's edge". I have spent most of my career on American and European relations and issues, and I have always been very proud of the United States. In the aftermath of the Second World War, rebuild a Europe ideally "whole, free and at peace". From the Marshall Plan, through the Cold War and until very recently, supporting European integration was a fundamental part of US external relations. policy that directly underpins democracy, peace and prosperity.
The EU and NATO are the magnificent and vital fruits of this policy and the world is a much better place for their existence. I believe that to my heart.
For the president to say the EU was "set up to take advantage of the US, attack our piggy bank", or that "NATO is as bad as NAFTA" is not only factually wrong, but proves me that it's time to go there.
I do not have the guts to do it and I can not hold a candle to my friends who have honorably resigned without benefiting from the full board that I am expecting. The truth is that I did a full tour in Tallinn and planned to retire after confirmation of a successor. Since there is no one left for this role, I guess I could have stayed for several more months.
I adore Estonia, its wonderful people and its beautiful landscape. Tallinn is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I have the best public housing I have ever had. But all things considered, I'm happy not to stay, for all the reasons I just explained.
So I leave willingly and with deep gratitude for being able to serve my country with integrity for many years, and with the confidence that America, which is and has always been, great, will come back someday to to be right.
Michael Birnbaum contributed to this report.
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