Aiming for the Prize by Ending the War in Ukraine
Direct Contact with Officials from the Nobel Committee’s Country
As the U.S.-Russia summit approaches, it has been reported that U.S. President Donald Trump has subtly hinted that he would like to be considered as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. Some interpret this as a political move aimed at strengthening his image as a peace mediator by highlighting the achievements of the Alaska talks.
It was reported that U.S. President Donald Trump called Jens Stoltenberg, Norway's Minister of Finance, last month to express his expectations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Photo by AP Yonhap News
According to Yonhap News on August 14 (local time), citing the Norwegian business daily Dagens Næringsliv and Reuters, "President Trump called Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian Minister of Finance, last month to discuss trade and tariff negotiations, while also expressing his expectations for the Nobel Peace Prize."
According to these reports, Minister Stoltenberg, a prominent Norwegian politician who previously served as Secretary General of NATO, explained that the call was "a preliminary consultation ahead of a meeting with the Prime Minister, focusing on tariffs and economic cooperation." However, he declined to give a direct answer regarding whether the Nobel Prize was mentioned. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, with the recipient to be announced in October.
The interpretation that this summit is a strategic move with the Nobel Peace Prize in mind has already become widespread. Since the start of his second administration, Trump has repeatedly emphasized his qualifications for the Nobel Peace Prize through social media and official briefings. According to NBC, there was a notable concentration of comments about the Nobel Prize between June and July. A White House spokesperson stated, "Trump highlighted examples of peace mediation about once a month," and added, "He already believes he deserves the Nobel Prize."
Trump's obsession with the Nobel Prize is nothing new. In a 2018 press conference, he remarked, "Everyone says I deserve the Nobel Prize, but they don't say it directly," while suggesting that "world peace" takes precedence over the award itself. Even after that, at UN General Assembly meetings and press conferences, he continued to mention his chances of winning, stating, "If the Nobel were awarded fairly, I would receive it."
Furthermore, he has criticized former President Obama's receipt of the prize, claiming that he is more deserving. His comments such as "The radical left Nobel Committee won't give me the award" and "I am more qualified than Obama" demonstrate his fixation on the Nobel Prize.
This Alaska summit could potentially serve as a turning point for ending the war in Ukraine. At the same time, it is also being interpreted as a calculated attempt by Trump to strategically pursue the Nobel Peace Prize in order to bolster his own political standing. Experts have pointed out, "If he seeks recognition without achieving tangible results on the international stage, it could backfire."
If President Trump were to win the Nobel Peace Prize, he would become the fifth U.S. president to receive the award, following Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
