The victory of Republican Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential elections on November 5th has created uncertainty in Europe. This ambiguity extends to the approach his administration will take toward the ongoing dialogue process for normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is mediated by the European Union.
The extent of Trump’s administration’s involvement in resolving the open issues between Kosovo and Serbia will also depend on previous events, as well as the individuals involved in engaging with Kosovo during Trump’s first term in office.
Bodo Weber, a senior associate at the Berlin-based Democracy Policy Council, has mentioned Richard Grenell as one of those who may play a key role in foreign policy positions.
“It will depend on whether key officials who were involved in the Kosovo-Serbia issue during Trump’s first term [2017-2020], especially Richard Grenell, will take positions in foreign policy or other roles in the new administration,” said Bodo Weber in an interview with Radio Free Europe.
Grenell, a close associate of Trump, had served as the U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans during that period.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti had several disagreements with Grenell, who had labeled the Kosovar head of government as “anti-American.” Meanwhile, Kurti claimed that the American envoy played a role in the downfall of his first government in March 2020.
