President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has broken his silence on the sweeping United States sanctions imposed on Kigali, calling them “insults thrown in the face” of Rwanda and accusing Washington of systematic bias toward the Democratic Republic of Congo — as the peace agreement signed just four months ago continues to unravel in eastern Congo.
In an exclusive interview published by The Africa Report, Kagame delivered his most forceful rebuttal yet of American diplomatic pressure, rejecting any expectation that Rwanda would dismantle defensive positions along the DRC border while, he said, Kinshasa is permitted to pursue what he described as a sustained campaign of destabilization.
“We refuse to remove defensive measures,” Kagame said flatly. “We did not start this. We will not be punished for defending ourselves.”
Sanctions Spark Fury in Kigali
The sanctions — targeting senior Rwandan military and government officials — were announced by the US State Department in late March, citing Rwanda’s continued support for the M23 rebel group operating in eastern DRC. The US said the measures were designed to push Rwanda toward “full compliance” with the peace framework agreed in Luanda last December.
In Rwanda, the response was swift and bitter. Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo called the sanctions “a reward for aggression” and accused the US of ignoring evidence of FDLR militia operations on DRC soil — Rwandan rebels linked to the 1994 genocide who have operated from Congolese territory for three decades.
“The US is essentially telling the victim to stand down while the aggressor keeps firing,” Makolo said at a press conference in Kigali. “That is not diplomacy. That is coercion.”
A Peace Deal in Name Only
The Luanda peace agreement, hailed as a breakthrough when it was signed in December 2025, has failed to stop fighting on the ground. M23 advances have continued in North and South Kivu provinces, displacing hundreds of thousands more civilians. The DRC government, for its part, denies supporting anti-Rwandan militias and accuses Kagame of using the peace talks as a cover for a land grab.
Kagame rejected this framing entirely. “There is no alternative to dialogue,” he said. “But dialogue cannot succeed under conditions of blackmail.” He pointed specifically to what he described as the DRC’s failure to act against FDLR positions — a point on which UN investigators have repeatedly substantiated Rwandan claims.
The Geopolitical Dimension
The sanctions land at a delicate moment for Rwanda. Kigali has deepened ties with Russia and Iran in recent years, as its traditional Western partners have grown increasingly critical of its Congo policy. The sanctions threaten to accelerate that pivot, analysts warn.
“Every time the West pushes Rwanda away, it creates space for Russia and others to move in,” said Dr. Harriet Mundi, a Central Africa analyst at the Brookings Institution. “The US may be achieving the opposite of its stated goal.”
Humanitarian Toll Rises
While diplomats trade accusations, the humanitarian situation in eastern DRC continues to deteriorate. The UN estimates that over 2.3 million people are now displaced in the Kivu regions alone — a figure that has risen by nearly 400,000 since the beginning of the year. Aid organizations have warned that supply routes into camps for displaced persons are increasingly threatened by ongoing fighting.
Kagame, asked about the civilian suffering, said it was “deeply regrettable” but placed responsibility squarely on the Congolese government and the FDLR fighters he said were operating with Kinshasa’s acquiescence. “Rwanda did not create this crisis,” he said. “We are doing everything possible to bring it to an end — but only if it is real peace, not theater.”