Savkovic: I don't see how Kurti can regain Grenell's trust

Senior advisor of the ISAC Fund, Marko Savkovic, tells Kosovo Online that it seems Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani has attempted to get closer to Donald Trump's administration through her statements, however, at this moment, he does not see how Albin Kurti can improve relations with the US, adding that the first challenge will be how to regain the trust of Richard Grenell.

"Osmani is generally known for being pro-American; she was a member of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), a party traditionally seen as the closest to the United States in Kosovo. As for Kurti, I don’t see how he can regain the trust of Mr. Grenell, who has been entrusted with the role of 'roving mediator' for various crisis regions, including Kosovo. There is a lack of trust and a poor relationship, which ultimately led to the fall of Kurti’s first government a few years ago," Savkovic noted.

He emphasizes that in foreign policy, personal relationships between leaders are very important, whether marked by animosity or sympathy. However, they are not always decisive, as broader relations and interests also come into play.

"These relationships can influence policies and wider interests, affecting assessments of whether certain interests can be pursued under a given political constellation and with certain people in power. We will see who will assume the crucial position of US Deputy Secretary of State for European Affairs and their assistant, who will be specifically responsible for this region, and what kind of relationship they will have with Grenell. Judging by the profiles of the people Trump selects, they seem to have much more in common with Grenell than with O'Brien or some earlier mediators," Savkovic said.

However, he notes that Kurti also has the option of finding "other sponsors" for his "independent policy" in certain European countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, or Turkey, with which he has plans for acquiring weapons and military equipment.