Donic: Grenell very close to Trump, there is weight behind his statements

Petar Donic, associate of the New Third Way, believes that there is “weight” behind the statements of Richard Grenell, even when he says that something is his personal opinion, as in the case of his remark that the idea of mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo is “ridiculous.”

"Grenell is very close to Trump. He is one of his ‘super-loyalists,’ someone who has always stood by him and who has been given a very special position, so when he says something, there is weight behind it," Donic told Kosovo Online.

He notes, however, that sometimes a certain statement may be presented as personal, while in fact it is being “tested” to gauge the reactions of all sides on the issue.

Donic observes that in the interview where Grenell discussed relations between Belgrade and Pristina, he took a critical stance toward the current Kosovo government.

"He assessed that the Kosovo authorities are currently not ready to ‘do business,’ and that this is not only the American assessment, but a general Western one. They want to create major economic activity in the region that would completely neutralize political issues, because, as he said, ‘while we are dealing with politics, we are not doing business, life passes, and both sides are in a worse position,’" Donic pointed out.

In his view, this signals a return to the policy of Trump’s first term, in which economic progress was the backbone of foreign policy in the region.

"All the current choices for ambassadors and special envoys suggest that this direction will continue, and now Grenell has said so as well. He stated that ideally he would be happy if economic activity grew to such an extent that daily politics would be forgotten, and even that a NATO base would no longer be needed as a guarantor of peace, and that the focus should shift to something new, making everything so far less important," he said.

Trump’s policy, he explained, has a revisionist and reformist element in a broader sense.

"They are now trying to bring some new things to the forefront and create a new reality. On the other hand, Trump has repeatedly mentioned the frozen conflict between Serbia and Kosovo as something he mediated in. The indication is that they would get more actively involved here as the term progresses. Trump won the election under the banner of being a peacemaker, so he will be interested in any situation where he can mediate a lasting agreement," Donic said.

He emphasized that there has been a major shift in the dynamics of US policy toward the region, with a return to the priorities of Trump’s first term, where economic policy was at the forefront, but also that some of the standard American narratives of the past 30 years could change.

"What we have also seen is that, in the past six months to a year, the Serbian side has undertaken significantly more diplomatic activity directed toward America. Not long ago, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric and Ambassador to the US Dragan Sutanovac met with Marco Rubio and a large number of senior US officials. This could suggest that, in the context of the current frozen situation with Kosovo, there may be a significant change in the US course and policy toward the region," Donic concluded.