Grenell: Kurti is lying about being close to the US, he was against every idea proposed by the Americans

Richard Grenell, former US President Donald Trump's special envoy, has expressed harsh criticism of the candidate for prime minister, Albin Kurti, calling him untrustworthy and rejecting his claims of closeness to the US.

On the eve of the February 9 parliamentary elections, Grenell addressed the citizens of Kosovo through the X platform, saying that Kurti is deceiving the public.

“The Trump administration has worked and will continue to work for peace in the Balkans. But we need reliable partners. Kurti’s government was not like that either during Trump’s term or Biden’s term. Both Republicans and Democrats have repeatedly criticized Kurti for his unilateral actions that destabilize the region. The EU and NATO also share this opinion. The international community is united against Kurti,” Grenell wrote.

He noted that American companies are investing in Albania and Serbia, but are bypassing Kosovo due to Kurti's policies.

"Kurti has been against every idea proposed by the US, regardless of whether Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden or Trump were in power," Grenell added.

"Kurti's rhetoric now, claiming that he is close to the US and that his government is better than all other governments in Kosovo, is absolutely false. Don't be fooled," he concluded.

These statements come at a critical moment in the election campaign, fueling new debates about Kurti's international policies and Kosovo's relations with the US.

Grenell, who has played a key role in US relations with the Balkans, continues to be a powerful voice in discussions about the future of the region.

In recent years, Kurti has been the target of criticism from international allies several times, due to several decisions in northern Kosovo - an area inhabited by a Serb majority - related to the replacement of Serbian license plates with Kosovo ones, the removal of the Serbian dinar from use, or the closure of Serbian institutions.

Kurti has justified these actions as steps towards extending the rule of law in the north and has said that they are in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo.

But the international community, in some cases, has described them as unilateral and uncoordinated with allies.

According to her, such steps should have been discussed within the framework of the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia, mediated by the European Union.

James O'Brien, who served as Assistant Secretary of State in the administration of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, said that Kurti, with such actions, has called into question the partnership with the United States.

During Trump's first term as president, Grenell served as the US special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. /Telegraph/

I have many friends in Kosovo and Albania... and many friends in Serbia and throughout the region.

The Trump Administration has worked and will continue to work towards peace for everyone in the Balkans.

But we need trustworthy partners.

The Kurti Government was not…

- Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 3, 2025