Balance of Power

Trump’s Nobel Quest Faces a Reality Check

The US president’s claim to have ended eight wars doesn’t stand up to closer scrutiny.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump met for peace talks in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15. Photographer: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

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By Neil Munshi

December 11, 2025 at 10:59 AM UTC

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Yesterday, days after US President Donald Trump declared peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda-backed rebels captured yet another key city in the mineral-rich region, as brutal fighting displaced more than 200,000 people.