Trump’s Return and Peace Agreements
The year 2025 will be largely remembered for Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the peace agreements he brokered, including one ending Israel’s offensive in Gaza and another in the Caucasus. However, this period has also witnessed an unprecedented rise in global conflicts since 1945, with severe consequences.
US-Brokered Agreement in Gaza
Following Israel’s offensive against Gaza post the 7-O attacks, which resulted in over 70,900 deaths, October marked a new phase with an agreement between the Israeli government and Hamas to implement the first phase of a US proposal for Gaza. This agreement included a fragile ceasefire.
The lack of concreteness in the plan has been accompanied by slow implementation, with efforts focused on establishing a supervisory body led by Trump and creating an international force for Gaza, grappling with a massive humanitarian crisis.
Gen Z Activism Across the Globe
The Generation Z has been at the forefront of protests in various countries, leading to the fall of governments in some cases, like Nepal’s former Prime Minister Sharma Oli, or triggering military coups, as seen in Madagascar.
These protests, organized via social media platforms like Discord, were a response to political and economic crises exacerbated by the pandemic. Young individuals born between 1997 and 2010 raised their voices against corruption, inequality, nepotism, and job uncertainty.
Nicaragua’s Co-presidency
In January, President Daniel Ortega and First Lady Rosario Murillo further solidified their control through a constitutional reform passed by the Parliament. This reform established the figure of co-president and extended their mandate from five to six years.
Ortega has held power since 2007, governing alongside his wife as Vice President since 2017 amid accusations of persecuting opposition, civil society organizations, and media.
Peace Agreement Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace agreement in August, brokered by Trump, committing to respect each other’s sovereignty, abandon territorial claims, and resume diplomatic relations.
The agreement, which calls for resolving forced disappearances during the conflict but excludes the return of Armenians to Nagorno Karabakh, is a victory for the US, securing exclusive development rights for a corridor connecting Nakhchivan to Armenia’s Syunik province.
Ongoing Conflict in Thailand and Cambodia
Following July’s clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border—mediated by Trump in Malaysia—the two nations have recently been embroiled in a series of skirmishes. These attacks, raising regional alarms, have already resulted in over 75 deaths since December 8 when Thailand attacked Cambodian positions following the death of one of its soldiers allegedly at the hands of Cambodian troops.
Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
The war in Sudan, initiated in April 2023 between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has plunged the country into a deepening humanitarian crisis. The atrocities committed by paramilitary groups in El Fasher, including executions, kidnappings, and rapes, serve as a grim reminder.
The conflict, marked by international interference, has been dominated this year by the recapture of Jartum by the armed forces, although the RSF has taken parts of Darfur and expanded their offensive to Kordofan.
US Military Operations in the Caribbean and Pacific
Tensions between the US and Venezuela escalated after around 90 people died in military operations by the US against vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific seas. This military operation, criticized internationally, is justified by the US as part of its fight against drug trafficking.
Trump aims to maintain pressure on Maduro’s government, stating that “his days are numbered.” Consequently, he ordered a “complete” blockade of all oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela to strangle the authorities and force their departure from power.
Israel’s Offensive Against Iran
In June, Israel’s military launched an offensive against Iran, joined by the US with bombings of nuclear facilities. This led to a twelve-day conflict, marking the peak of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, which had been on the rise since the US withdrew from the 2015 accord in 2018.
The bombings, resulting in over 1,100 deaths in Iran and prompting Tehran to launch hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, occurred amidst the Middle East conflict and during negotiations between Iran and the US to reach a new nuclear deal, now suspended.
Drone Incursions in Europe
Mid-year saw a significant increase in drone incursions over the NATO airspace after Polish forces downed around twenty of them. This situation was mirrored in other European countries like Germany, Denmark, and others.
Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty to consult allies, a mechanism previously activated only six times, citing risks to its territorial integrity—a concern also raised by other Eastern European NATO members.
India-Pakistan Conflict Over Kashmir
Kashmir once again sparked a military confrontation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan following an April 22 attack by an Islamist militant group that killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam, the most severe incident since New Delhi suspended Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack and launched strikes against targets in Pakistan, leading to four days of intense exchanges that concluded with a ceasefire returning the situation to the precarious status quo ante, with Pakistan now facing a Taliban regime in Afghanistan opening a new front.
Interception of Humanitarian Flotillas
The Israeli military intercepted several humanitarian flotillas in international waters aiming to break the Gaza blockade and deliver aid, part of a military offensive following the 7-O attacks. These incidents resulted in hundreds of arrests and drew international condemnation.
The main initiative, the Global Sumud Flotilla comprising over 40 vessels, was intercepted by Israeli forces who transported more than 450 volunteers to Israel for deportation, preventing them from reaching the blockaded Gaza.
Agreement Between DRC and Rwanda
The presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in early December in Washington to end the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC, exacerbated this year by Rwanda’s support for the Movement 23 of March (M23).
Despite the signing, which Washington hails as one of its “eight wars” ended by Trump, the rebel movement continues to gain territory while accusing the Congolese army and its allies of violating the ceasefire amidst a humanitarian catastrophe displacing hundreds of thousands and potentially triggering a regional crisis.
