Who is Richard Grenell? The 'Creative Disruptor' at the Heart of Trump's Kosovo-Serbia Deal

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Laura Autton-Wise, a research associate at Edinburgh Law School in the UK who specializes in peacebuilding and peace agreements, says that the optics of peace agreement signing ceremonies are usually about presenting conflict parties as central, equal partners to the commitments they are mutually agreeing to uphold; even the most high profile of mediators are positioned at the back or to the side of such a significant moment. 

But in Washington, everything about the stage for the Kosovo-Serbia agreement was centred on one man only: Donald Trump. 

“The lower desks for Vučić and Hoti either side of Trump; also having them sat in front of his desk like school children being chastised; him signing some unknown, undisclosed paper whilst they sign their copies of the agreement; the almost exclusively male line-up,” she said.

“The overall performance sends a message to the people of Kosovo and Serbia that is mirrored by the content of the agreement: ‘This deal is not about you.’”

Period21 Sept 2020

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleWho is Richard Grenell? The 'Creative Disruptor' at the Heart of Trump's Kosovo-Serbia Deal
    Media name/outletKosovo 2.0
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date21/09/20
    Producer/AuthorBronwyn Jones
    PersonsLaura Wise

Keywords

  • Peace agreements
  • Kosovo
  • Serbia
  • US Foreign Policy