Donald Trump involved US military leaders in diplomatic negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, as well as on ending the Russian-Ukrainian war. This approach sparked debate among national security and diplomacy experts. This was reported by AP, transmitted by UNN.
Negotiations with Iran
"Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, joined indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran for the first time on Friday in Oman, appearing in dress uniform as a reminder of the U.S. military buildup in the region," the publication writes.
The talks were aimed at de-escalating tensions between the US and Iran over Iran's nuclear program.
President Donald Trump assessed the negotiations as "very good" and announced that their continuation is scheduled for early next week. At the same time, he warned that in the absence of agreements, "the consequences will be very serious." According to Brookings Institution analyst Michael O'Hanlon, Cooper's participation was intended to "signal resolve and intimidate."
"The inclusion of the CENTCOM commander is quite unusual and seems intended more to send a message than to increase the influence of the negotiating team in the negotiations themselves," O'Hanlon wrote in an email, according to AP.
Ukrainian direction and expert reaction
"Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, reprising his role in Russia-Ukraine talks this week, made an effort to keep conversations going with Ukrainian officials in between sessions, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations," AP reported.
Experts evaluate this decision by the Trump administration differently. Former national security official Eliza Evers stated that involving active military personnel in diplomacy indicates a devaluation of traditional diplomatic tools.
At the same time, former US State Department adviser Eliot Cohen noted that US presidents have previously "used unusual people" as messengers.
"There's a long tradition of American presidents using unusual people as messengers if they trust them and think they can deliver the message," Cohen said.
Recall
Iran's Foreign Minister stated the country's readiness for an immediate military response to any aggression from Washington. Tehran warned that US military bases in the Middle East would become priority targets.
Peskov stated that negotiations on Ukraine are not planned to be held in the US. However, according to him, a new round will take place soon.