Trump eyes ex-intelligence chief as special envoy for Ukraine – Reuters
US President-elect Donald Trump is considering Richard Grenell, a veteran of his previous administration, for the position of special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources. Grenell has previously served as Washington’s ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence.
Trump’s plans to appoint a high-ranking diplomat tasked with “find[ing] a resolution, to get to a peace settlement” were first reported by Fox News last week, with its source saying the person in the position will have “a lot of credibility.”
Reuters sources confirmed that Trump is thinking about creating the special envoy position, with Grenell considered a potential candidate. While there is no guarantee that the role will be created, Trump is reportedly strongly leaning toward doing so, the article said.
Grenell, a seasoned diplomat, served as the US ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020, and as acting director of national intelligence for several months in 2020. Following his appointment as envoy to Berlin, he urged European capitals to cut business ties with Iran and openly voiced support for local right-wing parties, sparking widespread criticism from EU leaders over what they claimed was a disregard for diplomatic finesse and nonchalant attempts to influence the domestic political landscape.
Grenell has advocated for the creation of “autonomous zones” in the Ukraine conflict area and insisted that the country should not be brought into NATO anytime soon, a stance shared by many on the Trump team.
Supporters of Grenell point to his long diplomatic career and deep knowledge of European affairs, according to Reuters. He served as special presidential envoy for Serbia-Kosovo peace negotiations from 2019 to 2021. In September 2020, he brokered an agreement between the country and its breakaway region, which paved the way for economic normalization and helped defuse tensions at the time.
Trump has vowed to swiftly put an end to the Ukraine conflict. One of the reported plans includes Kiev suspending its NATO ambitions and agreeing to a freeze along the current front line. Russia has ruled that out categorically, insisting that all of the goals of the military operation, including Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification, should be fulfilled.
