President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest negotiating proposal amid ongoing stalled peace talks despite a recent ceasefire. Iran delivered the draft to Pakistani mediators Thursday evening, though its details remain undisclosed. Trump told reporters, “I’m not pleased with what they’re offering right now,” pointing to internal disagreements within Iran’s leadership as the reason for the impasse. He added, “Do we want to bomb them into submission forever, or try to reach an agreement?” emphasizing a preference for diplomacy on moral grounds. The conflict, initiated by surprise strikes from the U.S. and Israel on February 28, has been on hold since April 8, with only one unsuccessful direct negotiations attempt since. Under domestic pressure to get congressional approval for the war, Trump notified lawmakers on Friday that hostilities are “terminated,” although U.S. military presence remains unchanged. Subsequently, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw roughly 5,000 troops from Germany over the next year, following German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s remarks criticizing Iran’s tactics at the negotiation table. Iran continues to control the Strait of Hormuz, restricting oil, gas, and fertilizer shipments, while the U.S. enforces a counter-blockade targeting Iranian ports. Despite the deadlock, the ceasefire holds, but conflicts persist elsewhere, including in Lebanon where Israel continues strikes despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Thirteen fatalities were reported in southern Lebanon, notably in Habboush, where Israeli forces had previously ordered evacuations. Additionally, the U.S. approved substantial arms deals with regional allies—$4 billion in Patriot missile systems for Qatar and nearly $1 billion worth of precision weaponry for Israel. Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei asserted Iran remains open to negotiations but opposes peace terms imposed from outside. The White House declined to disclose details of Iran’s proposal, though reports suggest that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff proposed amendments that would keep Iran’s nuclear program on the table, including restrictions on moving and resuming activity at enriched uranium sites. Oil prices briefly dipped almost 5% following this news but stayed roughly 50% above pre-war levels due to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A resident in Tehran, Amir, described the stalemate as “feeling like we’re stuck in limbo” and doubted the viability of Iran’s current proposals, believing the U.S. and Israel are likely to strike again. Meanwhile, Washington is caught in a legal debate over whether Trump missed the deadline to seek congressional approval for the ongoing war. Some officials argue the ceasefire pauses the 60-day clock, making congressional consent necessary, a view opposed by Democrats. Trump, facing mounting national pressure with inflation rising and no declared victory, announced in letters to Congress that hostilities have “ended” since April 7, 2026. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly lost 14 members while defusing unexploded cluster bombs and mines. Tehran accuses the U.S. and Israel of employing cluster munitions, which pose long-term hazards. The war’s economic toll on Iran worsens, with new sanctions targeting Iranian currency firms and warnings against paying tolls through Hormuz. The U.S. claims its blockade has halted $6 billion in Iranian oil exports, with inflation exceeding 50%. Many Iranians struggle with basic necessities, including rent and food. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei urged business owners to avoid layoffs amid threats of “economic and cultural jihad” against Iran’s enemies. Trump has criticized allies for not joining efforts to reopen Hormuz, although France and Britain aim to rally a coalition to do so, while the U.S. plans to form its own alliance. The U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has left the region after recent operations, but other carriers remain in the area.
Tag: peace negotiations
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Trump Claims to Have Resolved Many Wars — Is He Right?
President Donald Trump claims he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize after engaging in eight conflicts since assuming office last January. However, many of the underlying issues remain unresolved, and hostilities have reignited in some areas, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
Here are some of the key international disputes Trump has involved himself in:
Armenia and Azerbaijan
On August 8 of the previous year, Trump facilitated a meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to sign a joint declaration promising to pursue peaceful relations, ending decades of hostility. Later, Trump explained on a radio show that he got to know the leaders through trade dealings. He questioned their ongoing conflict, saying, “Why are you guys fighting? I told them, ‘I won’t do a trade deal if you’re fighting — it’s crazy.’” The two nations agreed to a ceasefire in 2023 and drafted a peace agreement in March, though it remains unsigned. The White House-backed declaration stops short of a formal treaty and includes unresolved issues, such as Armenia possibly needing to revise its constitution. Economic deals were also made, granting the U.S. development rights through a strategic transit corridor in southern Armenia, purportedly to boost energy exports. Vice President JD Vance visited both countries in February, signing strategic partnerships and a nuclear accord.Cambodia and Thailand
Tensions persist between Thailand and Cambodia despite a fragile ceasefire brokered in part by Trump. After a five-day military clash along the border in July—the worst in over ten years—Trump reached out to then-acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after hostilities began. He conditioned trade deals on an end to the conflict. Trump oversaw a ceasefire agreement signed in Malaysia in October, but it collapsed within weeks, prompting a new ceasefire on December 27.Israel, Iran, and Palestinian Territories
Trump chaired a meeting of his Peace Initiative aimed at resolving conflicts in Gaza. In October, Israel and Hamas agreed to a first-phase ceasefire and hostage deal, but fighting persists. The agreement marked progress in ending a two-year conflict that resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian casualties, with both sides exchanging accusations of breach. Fundamental issues remain unresolved, including Hamas’ disarmament, governance of Gaza, and the presence of international security forces. Trump also sought to expand the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries. Initially, he engaged with Iran over its nuclear program, but Israel’s aerial strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, with U.S. support, intensified tensions. Trump claimed to have obliterated Iran’s key nuclear sites, though reports suggest the program was only temporarily damaged. Recently, Trump has threatened Iran with increased military pressure, including a significant buildup in the Middle East.Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo
This year, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launched a swift offensive, controlling more territory in eastern Congo than ever before, raising fears of regional spillover. Under Trump’s influence, Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal on June 27, though implementation remains incomplete. Trump hosted Congo and Rwandan leaders at a Washington event in December, where they reaffirmed their commitment to his peace plan. Nevertheless, fighting continues, with accusations from Congo and the U.S. of Rwanda violating commitments. Rwanda denies backing M23, but UN experts and Congolese officials dispute this. Separate talks mediated by Qatar are underway. A December agreement between Congo and the U.S. on critical minerals faces constitutional questions, casting doubt on its durability. The conflict ties back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with the U.S. keen on accessing Congo’s strategic minerals to compete with China.India and Pakistan
In May, tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan surged following an attack India blamed on Pakistan. Trump, along with Marco Rubio and JD Vance, urged de-escalation. A ceasefire was declared after four days of fighting, though fundamental disputes remain unaddressed. Trump later claimed that U.S. threat of trade sanctions helped secure the truce, a point India disputes.Egypt and Ethiopia
Long-standing tensions over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam continue, with Egypt fearing water shortages in the Nile. Trump expressed confidence in a resolution, saying, “We’re working on that one problem, but it’ll be solved.” Later, the White House suggested the conflict was formally resolved, though details remain unclear. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proceeded with dam filling in September despite objections from Egypt and Sudan. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to defend Egypt’s interests.Serbia and Kosovo
Five years after Trump brokered peace agreements to enhance economic ties, tensions still simmer. Trump claimed to have halted a war between them during his first term and intended to fix the situation again. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia views it as part of its territory, and no peace treaty exists. Prime Minister Albin Kurti seeks greater control over northern Kosovo, inhabited mainly by ethnic Serbs skeptical of independence. President Vjosa Osmani credited Trump with preventing escalation recently, though Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied concerns of imminent conflict.Russia and Ukraine
During his 2024 campaign, Trump controversially claimed he could resolve the Ukraine conflict within a day. The nearly four-year war has left over a million casualties, and efforts to end it have stalled. Trump has oscillated between calls for a ceasefire and insisting negotiations could still succeed amid ongoing combat. He imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil firms in October and recently pushed Ukraine’s leader to accept a deal favoring Moscow, causing concern among European allies. Recently, no significant progress has emerged from these efforts.South Korea and North Korea
Trump expressed intentions to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un once more to push for peace. During his presidency, Trump held three summits with Kim, but talks ultimately broke down over nuclear disarmament demands. North Korea has since advanced its missile and nuclear programs. Trump acknowledged North Korea’s nuclear capabilities in his second term and supported Seoul’s pursuit of nuclear submarines, while Kim suggested negotiations could resume if the U.S. dropped its nuclear demands.Additional Notes:
Many conflicts Trump engaged with remain unresolved or have seen renewed hostilities, emphasizing the challenges of his interventionist approach on the global stage. -
Rubio: US May Not Find a Path to End Ukraine Conflict
The US will persist in attempting to craft a scenario that could lead to an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, though success isn’t guaranteed, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with CBS on Sunday.
“If peace isn’t achievable and this action just continues as a war, thousands of lives will keep being lost… we might unfortunately end up there, but our goal is to avoid that,” Rubio stated during the “Face the Nation” interview.
European leaders are set to join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Washington on Monday to support him as President Donald Trump pushes Ukraine to agree to a rapid peace settlement following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Rubio mentioned that some discussions from that meeting hold potential for breakthroughs and progress, especially regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.
Sources indicate that Trump and Putin discussed proposals where Russia would give up small occupied areas in Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine ceding a large section of fortified territory in the east and stabilizing front lines elsewhere.
Rubio emphasized that both parties would need to make concessions for a peace agreement to be reached.
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Europe and Ukraine urge U.S. for tougher stance before Trump-Putin talks
Ukrainian servicemen from the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade deploy a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher towards Russian forces amid the ongoing conflict. This exchange occurs near Pokrovsk, a frontline town in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on June 8, 2025. — Reuters
Kyiv and London are calling on the United States to adopt a more assertive stance ahead of President Donald Trump’s scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding efforts to end the war. There is concern that the upcoming talks could shift the advantage to Moscow.
European leaders revealed their own proposals for peace in Ukraine to U.S. officials on Saturday. Trump announced on Friday that he would meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15, suggesting that the involved parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are close to an agreement that might resolve over three years of conflict.
While specific details of this potential agreement remain undisclosed, Trump indicated it would involve “some swapping of territories for mutual benefit.” Such concessions could see Ukraine surrender substantial parts of its territory — a move Kyiv and its European allies strongly oppose, asserting it would only encourage further Russian aggression.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance held discussions with Ukrainian and European representatives at Chevening House, a country estate southeast of London, to examine Trump’s peace initiatives. An European diplomatic source confirmed that a counterproposal was presented during the meeting, though no further details were disclosed.
According to the Wall Street Journal, European negotiators recommended that a ceasefire be established before any further steps and emphasized that territorial exchanges need to be mutual and accompanied by strong security guarantees. “You can’t begin negotiations by ceding territory during active fighting,” a European official said.
A U.S. government representative reported that extended discussions at Chevening yielded “significant progress” toward Trump’s goal of ending the Ukraine war, ahead of his upcoming meeting with Putin. The White House did not immediately reply to inquiries about whether European allies had submitted their counterproposals.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke and committed to pursuing a “just and enduring peace” in Ukraine. A Downing Street spokesperson stated that they discussed recent developments, reaffirmed their unwavering support for Zelenskyy, and emphasized their intent to collaborate closely with both Kyiv and Washington in the days ahead.
It remains unclear whether any agreements emerged from the Chevening discussions, but Zelenskyy described the meeting as productive. “All our concerns were listened to,” he said during his evening address to Ukrainians. “The path to peace must be determined together — and only together with Ukraine, that’s a vital principle.”
Earlier, Zelenskyy rejected any territorial concessions, asserting, “Ukrainians will not give up their land to the occupiers.” Macron also stressed Ukraine’s role in negotiations, emphasizing, “Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians — they have fought relentlessly for over three years for their independence and security.” He added that Europe’s own security interests underscore the importance of involving Kyiv.
Since Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow on Wednesday—an effort Trump described as making “great progress”—Zelenskyy has engaged in multiple calls with Ukraine’s allies. He underscored the need for “clear steps and maximum coordination” among partners.
Both Kyiv and the European Union are pushing back against proposals they see as too accommodating to Putin, whom they accuse of aggressive expansion. Moscow’s claims include four Ukrainian regions—Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—as well as Crimea, forcibly annexed in 2014. However, Russian forces do not fully control all territory in these regions, and Russia has demanded Ukrainian withdrawal from its remaining holdings there.
Ukraine maintains a small presence in Russia’s Kursk region, a year after earlier incursions while Russia claims to have expelled Ukrainian forces from there in April. Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, describes this peace effort as “the first somewhat realistic attempt to halt the war,” but expresses skepticism about the implementation of any agreements and warns that they could be detrimental to Ukraine.
Heavy fighting continues along a front stretching more than 1,000 km across eastern and southern Ukraine, with Russian troops gradually advancing in the east. Despite Moscow’s summer offensive, Ukrainian analysts report that gains have been limited so far, and Ukrainian fighters remain resolute.
Olesia Petritska, 51, told Reuters in Kyiv’s central square, decorated with hundreds of small Ukrainian flags honoring fallen soldiers, “No soldier will accept giving up territory or pulling back from Ukrainian land.”
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Trump Blocked Israeli Strike on Iran’s Supreme Leader, Sources Reveal
(Left to right) US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Recently, President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli initiative to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two US officials in an interview with Reuters on Sunday.
One high-ranking US administration official stated, “Have the Iranians killed an American? No. Until they do, we’re not even considering targeting political leaders.”
The officials, who requested anonymity, noted that US and Israeli leaders have maintained ongoing discussions since Israel’s large-scale assault on Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.
Israeli officials conveyed that they had a chance to take out the Iranian leader, but Trump ultimately dismissed the operation.
It’s unclear whether Trump personally communicated this decision, although he has been in regular contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
When pressed about the Reuters report during an interview on Sunday with Fox News, Netanyahu remarked, “There are numerous inaccurate reports about conversations that never took place, and I’m not going to delve into that.”
He added, “What I can say is that we will act as necessary, and the United States understands what is best for its interests.”
Trump has expressed optimism about renewing negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program. Scheduled discussions in Oman for Sunday were called off due to the recent attacks.
In a statement to Reuters on Friday, Trump claimed, “We were fully aware of the Israeli strikes.”
This morning, amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the US president voiced hope for impending peace, even suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin could play a mediating role.
On social media, Trump wrote that numerous, unspecified meetings are occurring and urged both nations to reach an agreement.
Trump also shared in an interview with ABC News that he is open to Putin’s involvement, despite Putin’s current military actions in Ukraine and Trump’s previous failed attempts at securing a ceasefire with Kyiv.
Overnight, Israel and Iran conducted fresh strikes against each other, resulting in multiple casualties.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted, “Iran and Israel should and will make a deal. We will achieve peace soon between the two nations! Numerous discussions are currently in progress.”
However, he did not provide any specifics regarding these meetings or evidence of progress. His comments were at odds with Netanyahu’s earlier statement that indicated an escalation of Israel’s actions against Iran.
A spokesperson from the White House did not respond when asked how Trump and his administration plan to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East.
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Trump Calls on Putin to Halt Deadly Attacks on Kyiv
Trump Criticizes Putin After Kyiv Strikes
Photo Credit: President Vladimir Putin meets with President Donald Trump in Germany, 2017. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: On Thursday, President Donald Trump directed his criticism toward Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv overnight, stating, "Vladimir, STOP!"
In a social media post, Trump expressed his discontent regarding the Russian strikes on Kyiv, declaring them "unnecessary" and "poorly timed." This statement followed his earlier comments about Ukraine’s leader allegedly obstructing peace negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Kremlin has yet to respond to requests for comments on Trump’s statements.
When approached for comments about the strikes during a press briefing on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia was continuing to target "military and military-related sites."
Trump’s unusual condemnation of Putin came after he criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday for insisting that Ukraine would not acknowledge Russia’s annexation of Crimea, a longstanding position of Kyiv. Trump remarked in a social media post, "This statement is very damaging to the Peace Negotiations with Russia."
In March, Trump had a contentious meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office and mentioned that Crimea was lost "a long time ago" and shouldn’t even be a topic for negotiation.