Friends-and-family diplomacy: Lessons for Europe from Gaza and Ukraine – European Council on Foreign Relations

Friends-and-family diplomacy: Lessons for Europe from Gaza and Ukraine – European Council on Foreign Relations

Cover image: picture alliance/KEYSTONE | GIAN EHRENZELLER US president Donald Trump’s almost exclusive reliance on friends and family as envoys to broker difficult foreign policy deals poses systemic risks for Europe. The Trump envoys typically plug into a network of rich and royal friends whose interests rarely align with Europe’s. Most operate outside European institutions and leverage, and are largely insulated from public scrutiny, with thei…