Washington / Bangkok / Phnom Penh (9News Nigeria) — U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has stopped, as officials from both Southeast Asian nations, alongside ASEAN, China and the United Nations, confirmed a ceasefire aimed at ending the most serious escalation between the neighbours in years.
In a message posted on Truth Social and seen by 9News Nigeria, Trump said the “breakout fighting” would halt and that both countries had agreed to return to peace under an existing treaty. He congratulated the Thai and Cambodian leaders for what he described as a “fast and decisive” resolution, adding that the United States was “proud to help.”
The ceasefire announcement was later corroborated by Thai and Cambodian authorities, who confirmed that their defence ministers signed a formal truce agreement over the weekend. The deal orders an immediate halt to military operations along the disputed border and commits both sides to de-escalation measures, including restrictions on troop movements.
The clashes, which erupted earlier this month along contested frontier areas, marked the most intense fighting between the two countries in years. According to regional and international reports, the violence involved artillery and rocket fire, resulting in significant casualties and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) welcomed the ceasefire and said it was monitoring implementation, while encouraging continued dialogue to prevent a relapse into violence. China also confirmed its diplomatic involvement, with its foreign ministry saying Beijing supported the truce and was hosting follow-up talks between Thai and Cambodian representatives to help stabilise the situation.
The United Nations, which Trump criticised in his post as being largely inactive in global conflicts, publicly welcomed the ceasefire. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the agreement as a positive step toward reducing civilian suffering and called on all parties to fully respect the terms of the truce.
In his Truth Social post, Trump went further, claiming his administration had settled or stopped eight wars or conflicts in the past eleven months and arguing that the United States had effectively become the “real United Nations.” He also renewed criticism of the UN over its handling of other global crises, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
While Washington has not released detailed information on the specific role it played in the Thailand–Cambodia talks, diplomats and regional observers note that the ceasefire appears to have been the result of multi-track diplomacy involving regional bodies and major powers.
As of Monday, the ceasefire was reported to be largely holding, though residents in affected border areas remain cautious, with humanitarian agencies continuing to assess the situation on the ground.
