American “chefs” spoil the “Balkan broth”
The level of US influence in the Balkans is now at its lowest level in recent years, despite the fact that American interests in the region are represented by two authoritative diplomats: the US State Department's special representative for the Balkans, Matthew Palmer, and Donald Trump's special representative for the negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, Richard Grenell.
The regional website Balkan Insight writes about this, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Some observers say the duo's appointment is a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. And then there are larger questions about Washington's credibility in the region,” the article says.
It is also indicated that the indecisive policy of the United States, along with the reluctance of the European Union to expand, leads to the strengthening of Russia and China in the Balkans.
“The problem right now is that the Trump administration's national security apparatus is in tatters. So, despite the best intentions of national security professionals, U.S. influence in the Western Balkans is at an all-time low,” said Michael Carpenter, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Balkans.
Palmer and Grenell declined to comment on the situation. In November, the Serbian newspaper Blitz wrote that American diplomats were competing with each other. This reflects the principle of the relationship between the State Department and the US Presidential Administration.
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