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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
After almost 3 years without an ambassador, Eric Wendt is expected to restore the strong weight of the US in Albanian politics.
Tomorrow at 4:00 PM Albanian time, Donald Trump's candidate for United States ambassador to Albania, retired general Eric Wendt, will appear before the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Senate, in a hearing that is considered the most important step towards his confirmation in Tirana.
The hearing is expected to focus on US-Albania relations, security in the Balkans, regional cooperation and Albania's strategic role in NATO, but the greatest attention is on the profile of the candidate selected by Trump.
After nearly three years without a US ambassador in Tirana, the return of a name with a strong military profile is seen as a signal that the Trump administration is seeking to restore direct American influence in Albania and the region.
Eric Wendt is not a career diplomat. He is one of the most well-known figures in American special forces.
A retired lieutenant general, Wendt served as commander of NATO's Special Operations Command, and previously held key positions in Afghanistan, Korea, the Pacific Command, and in security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
He has over 34 years of military experience, of which more than 30 years were spent in the American special forces "Green Berets".
This very profile is being seen as a clear political message from Donald Trump.
Unlike traditional diplomats, Trump has chosen a security and special operations figure for Albania, at a time when the Balkans is increasingly seen as an area of strategic importance for the US.
Wendt's name comes after a long period of diplomatic vacuum in Tirana.
Since Yuri Kim's departure in June 2023, the US embassy has operated only with chargé d'affaires and temporary envoys. During this time, Albanian politics has felt the absence of an ambassador with full political and diplomatic weight.
During Yuri Kim's time, the American embassy had a direct influence on political developments in the country, while Albanian leaders openly aligned themselves with its positions.
But the absence of a full-fledged ambassador for almost three years has created the perception that American influence in Tirana has waned.
Now the situation seems to be changing.
Trump has chosen a general for Tirana and this is being interpreted as the return of a much stronger American presence in Albania, not only in diplomatic terms, but also in matters of security, regional influence, and strategic interests in the Balkans.
If confirmed by the Senate, Eric Wendt will be the first American ambassador to Albania after the departure of Yuri Kim and one of the strongest military names the US has ever sent to Tirana. /Pamphlet
Po hajde mor djale, me zorr po te presim, te trazosh ujin e qelbur se na mori frymen.
Një karrierë e mirë, shumë e nevojshme për "operacionet speciale" që do të vijnë në rajon. Kosova ka rënë viktimë e ndikimit rus dhe na duhet një "barret blu" për të hapur rrugën. A do të shohim vendosje masive trupash në Kuçovë? Duhet ta hap Burger King-un tim atje!