The President of the United States, Donald TrumpHe insists on this Eight wars ended this year. However, this claim is exaggerated. His meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week makes it clear that there is still a long way to go before he can declare an end to the war in Gaza.
At the same time, new fighting has broken out in recent weeks between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as between Democratic Republic of Congo forces and Rwandan-backed rebels. Furthermore, one of the conflicts that Trump claims to have ended was never, strictly speaking, a war.
Below is an individual case assessment.
Israel and Hamas
The current ceasefire and hostage-taking agreement represent important progress, but Israel warned that it would not move to the second and most complex phase of the ceasefire until the remains of the last hostage were handed over. took place in Gaza. Hamas, for its part, threatened to halt the deal, accusing Israel of not providing enough humanitarian aid and continuing to carry out deadly attacks on Palestinians.
The road to a definitive end to the conflict and even more to a two-state solution is long and complex. The outstanding questions include the disarmament of Hamas, the creation and deployment of an international security force, the definition of the future government of Gaza and a further withdrawal of Israeli forces from the devastated area.
With the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu, Washington wants to provide new impetus for the next steps in the US-brokered ceasefire, which came into force on October 10 and is generally maintained.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and President Donald Trump at a joint press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Tierney L. Cross/The New York TimesIsrael and Iran
Trump is credited with ending the so-called 12-Day War. In June, Israel launched attacks against Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership, claiming it was preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, which Iran denied.
Trump negotiated a ceasefire after ordering strikes by American aircraft against Iran’s Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear facilities.
Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University, said: Trump deserves credit for ending the conflict and stated that “there was no clear way out before President Trump stepped in and issued an ultimatum.”
Lawrence Haas, senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, agreed The United States was the key, But he described the ceasefire as a temporary pause in an “everyday Cold War” that is ongoing.
Egypt and Ethiopia
The mediation efforts, in which the United States is not directly involved, are I’m stuck in a situation that can best be described as high tensions rather than war.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile has raised tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan since the project was announced more than a decade ago. The dam was inaugurated in September.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile is causing tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. Photo: Laura Boushnak/The New York TimesEgypt and Sudan reject the work. Egypt’s agriculture is almost entirely dependent on the river, while Sudan fears flooding and is trying to protect its own dams.
During his first term Trump tried to mediate between Ethiopia and Egypt without reaching an agreement.
India and Pakistan
The killing of tourists in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region in April brought the two countries closer to war than in recent years, although a ceasefire was eventually reached.
Trump claimed that the US negotiated the ceasefire and that it came about in part thanks to trade concessions. Pakistan publicly thanked Trump, but India denied these claims and claimed that there had been no discussions with Washington about trade related to the ceasefire.
Haas and Farkas believed the United States deserved some credit for helping stop the escalation, although Farkas made this clear It was not a large-scale war.
Serbia and Kosovo
The White House lists the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo as one of the conflicts that Trump would have resolved. However, during his second term There was no real threat of war between the two. another significant contribution from you this year to improving relationships.
Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008. Tensions persist but never escalated into war, largely due to the presence of NATO-led peacekeepers. More than 100 countries recognize Kosovo.
In his first term, Trump negotiated a comprehensive agreement between both parties, although much of what was agreed upon was never implemented.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo
In June, the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a peace agreement at the White House. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueTrump played an important role in peace efforts between these African neighborsbut he wasn’t the only actor and the conflict is far from resolved.
This year saw the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group in mineral-rich eastern Congo. Kigali maintains that it is protecting its territorial interests and that some of those responsible for the 1994 genocide cooperated with the Congolese army.
In June, the foreign ministers of both countries signed a peace agreement at the White House. At the beginning of December, the presidents signed another pact in the presence of Trump. However, the M23 warned that it would not respect an agreement to which it was not directly involved. days after the last signature, The rebels captured another eastern Congolese town before announcing their withdrawal.
There is also a separate agreement between Congo and the M23, brokered by Qatar, but both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.
Armenia and Azerbaijan
In August, Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House, who signed an agreement to end a decades-long conflict. The countries have committed to reopening important transport routes now towards a peace treaty. The text was initialed by the foreign ministers, suggesting provisional approval It has not yet been signed by heads of state or government or ratified by parliaments.
Both countries have been fighting for control of the region since the early 1990s Nagorno-Karabakh. In 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured large areas of territory with military support. Russia brokered a ceasefire, but in September 2023, Azerbaijani forces launched a lightning offensive to retake the remaining territories.
Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House as they signed an agreement to end a decades-long conflict. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueSince then, both nations have been working to normalize their relations.
Cambodia and Thailand
officials from both countries They credit Trump with a key role in promoting a ceasefire during a brief border conflict this summer. However, fighting has broken out again in recent weeks.
Cambodia and Thailand have historic disputes over their shared border. However, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged an unconditional cessation of hostilities Until Trump intervened, there was little progress. According to Trump himself, he warned the leaders of both countries that the United States would not move forward with trade deals if fighting continued.
University of Michigan political analyst Ken Lohatepanont argued that conditioning negotiations on a ceasefire “likely played an important role in bringing both sides to the table.”
A more detailed agreement was signed in October, also under pressure from Trump. However, at the beginning of December New fights broke out. A new ceasefire was signed on December 27th.