Politics Of Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prizes are not always free from controversy. They are said to be politically motivated.  The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the late Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho was in recognition of their contributions to the ceasefire in the Vietnam War. But it was seen as ironic and politically expedient since Kissinger was also responsible for the escalation of the war in Indo-China and the coup in Chile. Le Duc Tho refused to receive the prize. Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. Later, she was accused of defending the military’s actions against Rohingya Muslims. Critics said the prize appeared political at the time, rewarding opposition to Myanmar’s junta. 

This year, too, the Nobel Peace Prize seems to have been given entirely on political grounds.     Venezuelan opposition leader Machado has been awarded this year’s prize for her struggle to achieve what is described as a democratic political transition in Venezuela. The prize was given to her in recognition of the role she played to keep the flame of democracy alive. The former opposition presidential candidate has been described as a key, unifying figure in the once deeply divided opposition to Madura’s government. Madura is the successor to the late popular leader Hugo Chavez, who rose to political prominence due to his programmes and antipathy to what is alleged as US hegemony in the region, among others. The conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to Machado is therefore critiqued as a matter of political preference.

Politics over peace

The serious contender for the Nobel Peace Prize this year was US President Donald Trump himself. There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the Prize going to him. This was fuelled in part by the president himself and amplified by growing approval of his plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, among others. White House spokesperson Steven Cheung had commented in a post that “President Trump will continue making peace deals around the world, ending wars, and saving lives.” He added that by not awarding this prize to President Trump, “the Nobel Committee proved they placed politics over peace. Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the prize. 

In fact, Trump’s achievements in peace diplomacy are substantive and some of these have shown the signs of visible progress. Trump was instrumental in brokering the normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain. They represent a significant shift in Arab–Israeli diplomatic relations. Under his mediation, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace “roadmap,” ending a long-standing conflict. Trump had made historic direct contact with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, including three meetings (2018–2019).The Singapore Summit (2018) was the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. The objective was to set the stage for denuclearization of North Korea and reducing regional conflict risk. Although talks eventually stalled, it eased short-term tensions and opened communication channels between the US and North Korea. 

Trump pushed for a U.S.-Taliban peace deal in Afghanistan to end the two-decade war. The Doha Agreement (2020) paved the way for U.S. troop withdrawal and intra-Afghan dialogue. It marked a shift towards diplomatic resolution of the conflict. Trump also encouraged India–Pakistan dialogue and offered to mediate on Kashmir, though both countries rejected direct intervention. Trump’s administration provided military aid to Ukraine to help resist Russian aggression after Crimea’s annexation. Despite accusations of being soft on Putin, his policies included sanctions on Russia, NATO pressure, and defence spending increases in Europe to deter Moscow.

Trump facilitated an economic normalisation agreement (2020) between Serbia and Kosovo, a long-running regional dispute in the Balkans. The deal, signed at the White House, sought to stabilise the region through trade and infrastructure cooperation rather than political recognition alone. Trump promoted “peace through strength” – military build up and deterrence – while pursuing selective diplomacy. He used economic tools, especially sanctions, tariffs, and aid suspension, to pressure conflict actors. He shifted focus from large-scale military interventions to regional burden-sharing—encouraging allies like Saudi Arabia, Israel, and NATO states to take greater responsibility. 

Nominations

A more recent proposal put forward by Trump involves a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the release of hostages, demilitarization of Gaza, an international stabilisation force, transitional governance, large-scale reconstruction, and pathways towards recognition of Palestinian rights. Trump has claimed involvement in or support for mediation ceasefires in various disputes, for example, between Thailand and Cambodia, India and Pakistan, etc. Some of these are disputed or not fully verified in public sources. The Nobel Peace Prize has specific nomination deadlines. Nominations must be submitted by January 31st for that year’s prize. Some nominations in favour of Trump reportedly arrived after that cut-off, making them ineligible for the 2025 award. 

Also, the Prize generally recognises work done in the preceding year(s); some of Trump’s more recent initiatives may be too new or yet unverified at scale when the committee makes its decision. Some analysts argue that some of Trump’s claimed peace deals are either not fully implemented, are disputed by other parties, or are more symbolic than structural. For instance, ceasefires that may break or accords whose longer-term effects remain uncertain. Also, the Nobel Committee tends to favour sustained efforts over time, with clear evidence of lasting peace, reconciliation, human rights, etc. Critics point out that while some peace initiatives are positive, other parts of Trump’s foreign policy have been seen as undermining cooperation, multilateralism, or human rights. This can weigh heavily when assessing a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

(The author is presently associated with Policy Research Institute (PRI) as a senior research fellow.  rijalmukti@gmail.com)