The United States has accused Rwanda of intensifying instability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that continued advances by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group could derail a fragile peace effort brokered by US President Donald Trump.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, told the Security Council on Friday that Rwanda’s actions risk pushing the Great Lakes region toward deeper conflict. He pledged that Washington would use “the tools at our disposal to hold to account spoilers to peace.”
The M23’s recent territorial gains have alarmed regional leaders, bringing fighting close to Burundi’s border and raising fears of wider escalation. Since January, violence in eastern Congo has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.
Burundi issued a stern warning, with UN Ambassador Zephyrin Maniratanga cautioning that continued attacks could provoke direct confrontation with Kigali. He said Burundi’s patience was nearing its limit amid rising cross-border tensions.
Rwanda rejected the accusations. UN Ambassador Martin Ngoga denied any aggression against Burundi and insisted Kigali remains committed to the Washington-brokered peace agreement. Ngoga accused the Congolese government of violating the ceasefire and dismissed claims of Rwandan involvement in the fighting.
Congo’s Foreign Minister, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, called on the Security Council to take decisive action, warning that inaction would embolden impunity. She stressed the crisis has reached a critical point, demanding that the international community uphold global norms.
The renewed fighting follows a recent Washington meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, hosted by Trump, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the US-mediated peace deal.
Waltz urged Rwanda to respect Congo’s sovereignty and its right to request military support from Burundi, while calling for restraint in public statements that could inflame ethnic tensions. He accused Rwanda of maintaining strategic control over M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, since the group’s resurgence in 2021, providing logistical, military, and training support, including direct combat involvement.
Rwanda has consistently denied backing the rebels, attributing the fighting to Congolese and Burundian forces. M23 is not participating in the Washington-led peace talks but is engaged in separate negotiations with the Congolese government in Qatar, highlighting the fragmented nature of efforts to end the conflict.
