U.S. escalates sanctions threat on Rwanda as eastern Congo peace deal faces setback

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Washington is escalating pressure on Rwanda as the U.S.-brokered peace deal aimed at stabilising eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) struggles to take hold, triggering growing frustration within President Donald Trump’s administration and the U.S. Congress.

U.S. escalates sanctions threat on Rwanda as eastern Congo peace deal faces setback

The U.S. is increasing pressure on Rwanda as its peace deal with the DRC fails to stabilize the situation.
The Washington Accords have not halted the armed clashes in eastern Congo, particularly involving the M23 rebel group.
Bipartisan frustration in the U.S. Congress has led to threats of sanctions against Rwanda for allegedly not adhering to the agreement.
The continued violence undermines the initial purpose of the accords, which aimed at creating a framework for peace and regional stability.

Six weeks after Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame signed the Washington Accords, violence has continued along the volatile eastern border, undermining hopes that the agreement would ease one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts.

Fighting between the Rwanda‑aligned M23 rebel group and the Congolese army intensified within hours of the peace ceremony, with reports of renewed clashes in South Kivu province even as leaders reaffirmed commitments to the agreement.

The United Nations reported at least 74 killed and more than 80 injured in clashes between government forces and M23 fighters in Uvira, Walungu, Fizi and other parts of South Kivu. These battles also forced roughly 200,000 people to flee their homes amid the offensive’s advance.

In December 2025, as fighting in eastern DRC escalated shortly after the U.S.-brokered peace deal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Rwanda that its actions, particularly the M23 offensive, violated the Washington Accords.

“Rwanda’s actions in eastern DRC are a clear violation of the Washington Accords… and the United States will take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept,” Rubio wrote on X, signalling possible punitive measures

According to The Africa Report, bipartisan lawmakers in Washington have responded by openly threatening sanctions against Rwanda, marking a sharp turn in tone toward a long-standing U.S. security partner in the Great Lakes region.

Why Rwanda is facing renewed sanctions pressure

At the heart of the dispute are allegations that Kigali continues to support M23 rebels operating in eastern Congo, despite pledges to de-escalate and withdraw any military presence.

Congressional anger has grown as reports of territorial advances by armed groups cast doubt on Rwanda’s compliance. Lawmakers from both parties have warned that targeted sanctions potentially against senior officials or state-linked entities, remain an option if Kigali does not demonstrate measurable progress toward peace.

The sanctions threat also reflects wider U.S. concerns about credibility.

President Trump’s administration invested significant diplomatic capital in the deal, presenting it as a breakthrough that could unlock economic cooperation, improve access to strategic minerals in the DRC, and stabilise a region critical to global supply chains. Continued violence now risks turning the accord into a diplomatic embarrassment.

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected accusations that sanctions or diplomatic pressure are justified responses to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), arguing that punitive measures “will not solve the conflict” and could harden positions rather than tackle the root causes of insecurity.

Kigali’s foreign ministry and government officials have described recent sanctions, including those imposed by the U.S. on Rwandan officials linked to the conflict as “unjustified and unfounded,” asserting that if sanctions could resolve the crisis in eastern DRC, peace would have long since been achieved.

Rwanda has characterised such measures as potentially “external interference” that does little to advance peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.

For Washington, however, patience appears to be wearing thin. The growing sanctions rhetoric signals that the U.S. is willing to recalibrate its relationship with Rwanda if the peace process continues to stall.

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