Cambodia and Thailand Sign Ceasefire Agreement, Brokered by Trump

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday signed an expanded ceasefire agreement in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose mediation efforts earned him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The deal builds on a truce reached three months ago, when Trump personally called the then leaders of both nations, urging them to end hostilities or risk a suspension of trade talks with Washington.

Both sides had blamed each other for five days of rocket and heavy artillery exchanges, which marked one of the deadliest clashes in recent history—killing at least 48 people and temporarily displacing around 300,000 residents.

During his second term, Trump has cast himself as a global peacemaker. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet praised him as an “extraordinary statesman” and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing Trump’s decision to support Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s mediation efforts in the conflict.

‘A Strong Commitment to Stability and Peace’

At a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur during a summit of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN, against a backdrop featuring the U.S. emblem and the words “Delivering Peace,” Trump hailed both leaders as courageous and said their ceasefire “saved millions of lives.”

Calling the accord a “peace treaty,” Trump said, “Because of America’s strong commitment to stability and peace—here and everywhere we can—my administration moved swiftly to prevent this conflict from escalating.”

“We simply made the deal and reported the deal,” he added. “Everyone was surprised at how fast it happened.” He also noted that the United Nations had not been involved in the process.

Although gunfire along the border has largely subsided, both countries have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, something the new agreement seeks to prevent.

Agreement to Withdraw Heavy Weapons and Release Prisoners

In a joint declaration, both nations pledged to establish an ASEAN observer team, pursue military de-escalation, and withdraw heavy weapons from their border areas. Thailand also agreed to release 18 Cambodian prisoners of war once the measures are implemented.

They further committed to coordinate landmine removal, after a Thai soldier was injured while patrolling the frontier—an incident that triggered renewed fighting. Thailand has accused Cambodia, one of the world’s most landmine-affected countries, of laying new mines, a charge Phnom Penh denies.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the agreement reflected both nations’ commitment to resolving differences peacefully “with full respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Hun Manet added that the deal showed disputes should be settled through dialogue—“no matter how difficult or complex they may be.”

The accord marks a significant diplomatic achievement for Trump, whose administration has also been involved in mediation efforts this year in Gaza, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in a brief conflict between India and Pakistan—while continuing to push for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which he has admitted has proved “more challenging than expected.”