Testing a different style of diplomacy
Two U.S. envoys are leading negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war and prevent a U.S.-Iran conflict. Their 鈥渙utsider鈥� skills and close ties to President Donald Trump may offer an unorthodox path to bringing peace closer.
U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Oman鈥檚 Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (l to r) at a February 17 meeting in Geneva. Oman is mediating ongoing negotiations over the military standoff between the U.S. and Iran.
Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Reuters
Two sets of peace negotiations are scheduled for Thursday in Geneva 鈥� direct talks between the United States and Ukraine, and indirect talks (mediated by Oman) between the U.S. and Iran. The parallel assemblies are likely to place strong demands on the multitasking skills of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner 鈥� and to underscore the potential pros and cons of practicing diplomacy through special envoys chosen from outside the ranks of traditional career diplomats.
鈥淭he ability to seize a historical moment鈥� in international events is a critical skill, according to Stuart Eizenstat, former U.S. ambassador to the European Union. At the same time, he cautioned in an interview with Tufts University鈥檚 Fletcher School, 鈥淏e wary of going for home runs. Don鈥檛 try to get too much. ... Instead, go for singles and doubles.鈥�
Patience, persistence, creativity, flexibility, and a willingness to listen are some of the qualities that undergird successful diplomacy. Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner (friend and son-in-law of President Donald Trump, respectively) likely demonstrated these in some measure during the complex process of brokering last October鈥檚 ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Now, they are seeking to end another war 鈥� and prevent the start of a new one.
In this, they have an advantage over career diplomats 鈥� a personal relationship with the leader of the world鈥檚 most powerful country. In addition, their 鈥渙utsider鈥� experience can bring fresh perspectives to long-standing diplomatic issues.聽
But the equally long-standing practice of U.S. presidents naming friends to high-profile diplomatic roles can also complicate diplomacy. In recent months, non-career ambassadors in France, Belgium, and Poland have riled their hosts with disregard for diplomatic protocol or impolitic public statements. And critics point to Mr. Kushner鈥檚 business ties in the Middle East as a potential conflict of interest.
These 鈥渁re reasonable questions,鈥� Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, told NPR. But, he noted, Mr. Kushner鈥檚 regional relationships are what 鈥渉elped produce a result fairly quickly that brought about the good outcome鈥� in Gaza. Mr. Kushner also promoted ties between Israel and Arab nations through helping to forge the 2020 Abraham Accords.
In many regions of the world, developing trust systematically over years, rather than scoring quick wins, is preferred. In the Gulf, according to analyst Nickolay Mladenov of The Washington Institute, there is a 鈥減rofound cultural inclination toward fostering enduring relationships to resolve conflicts鈥� 鈥� which speaks to how the small country of Oman has established itself as a trusted mediator.
Laurence Pevsner, a scholar at the City College of New York, points to the example of Benjamin Franklin, arguably one of the most successful U.S. diplomats. Over a period of several years, and some setbacks, Franklin negotiated essential financial and materiel support from France during the Revolutionary War 鈥� and also went on to broker a peace agreement with Britain.
鈥淐ountries don鈥檛 do diplomacy. People do,鈥� is how Mr. Pevsner puts it. 鈥淭he impressions and relationships [individuals] make can start a war or end one.鈥�