Trump Diplomat Grenell to Serve as 'Special Envoy for Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Mission'?

Richard Grenell, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany. Photo by Yonhap News

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, is reportedly considering creating a new position of 'Special Envoy for the Russia-Ukraine War' and appointing Richard Grenell (58), a strategist in diplomacy and security, to the role.

On the 22nd (local time), Yonhap News and foreign media reported that Trump is seriously considering this plan. During his campaign, Trump said he would quickly end the Russia-Ukraine war but did not reveal any specific plans.

If Grenell is appointed as the Special Envoy for the Russia-Ukraine War, he is expected to focus on mediating ceasefire negotiations between the two sides.

Grenell's previously stated positions have been assessed as containing many points that could make the Ukrainian side quite uncomfortable. In July, he attended a Bloomberg-hosted roundtable and proposed measures such as designating the Ukrainian territories that Russia claims as its own as 'autonomous regions.'

He also expressed opposition to Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the near future.

Recently, Grenell strongly criticized the Biden administration's decision to allow Ukraine to use American ATACMS missiles to attack Russian mainland targets.

On the 18th, he posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "I never imagined that President Biden would escalate tensions in the Ukraine war during the transition period," adding, "It feels like President Biden is starting a new war."

Then on the 20th, he said, "Joe Biden approved Ukraine to fire missiles inside Russian territory and then withdrew the U.S. embassy from Kyiv," adding, "I am furious. Biden can't even pick up the phone to talk to Putin."

Meanwhile, Grenell served as Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), overseeing U.S. intelligence operations, from February to May 2020. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to Germany from May 2018 to June 2020 and served as the Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia-Kosovo Peace Negotiations from October 2019 to January 2021.