Is the US juggling two "hot spots" simultaneously in Geneva?
The fact that US President Donald Trump sent his most trusted envoys to handle the two biggest global crises – the Iranian nuclear program and the Russia-Ukraine conflict – simultaneously in a single day in Geneva is raising serious questions among international observers about its effectiveness.
On February 17th, Geneva (Switzerland) witnessed a packed and somewhat "unusual" diplomatic schedule. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had to engage in shuttle diplomacy, constantly traveling between two different negotiating locations to resolve two separate conflicts.
Experts believe that consolidating two high-profile issues on the same day with the same negotiating team raises concerns about overload and a lack of depth.
A regional official close to the Iranian leadership likened the approach to an emergency room with two critically ill patients but only one doctor running back and forth. This doctor cannot give constant attention to either patient, increasing the risk of failure for both cases.
Brett Bruen, a former foreign policy advisor under the Obama administration, commented: "Trump seems to be focusing on quantity rather than quality, instead of delving into the difficult details of diplomacy. Trying to solve both problems at the same time, in the same place, doesn't make much sense."
The Geneva talks began with the Iran issue. After three and a half hours of indirect discussions mediated by Oman, both sides noted some progress, but no breakthrough agreement was imminent.
Observers believe that expectations for a breakthrough in the European conflict are very low.
The absence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio – America's top diplomat – in Geneva was also a point of contention.
Mohanad Hajj-Ali from the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut expressed his concern: "To entrust a group including Witkoff and Kushner with the task of solving all the world's problems is, frankly, a shocking reality."
Experts fear they lack the depth of knowledge and experience to confront seasoned negotiators like Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi or their Russian counterparts.
Responding to the criticism, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly asserted that Trump and his team "have done more than anyone else to bring the parties together to end the killing."
U.S. government officials have long defended the roles of Witkoff and Kushner, citing their negotiating skills and the absolute trust the President placed in them. Witkoff was even dubbed "the envoy for everything" due to his wide-ranging activities. Witkoff was even dubbed "the envoy for everything" because of his extensive network of responsibilities.
However, with the professional diplomatic apparatus at the State Department and the National Security Council being downsized under Trump, many analysts fear that the U.S. is lacking the "experts" to handle vital global issues.
