Russian President Vladimir Putin has come to Donald Trump’s defense after the U.S. president was passed over for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, claiming the prestigious award has “largely lost credibility.”
During a visit to Tajikistan on Friday, Putin criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to honor Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead of Trump, who had publicly sought the recognition.
“There’ve been cases when the Nobel Committee awarded the prize to people who’ve done nothing for peace,” Putin told reporters, according to Politico Europe. “That’s damaged the prize’s prestige.”
While Putin didn’t explicitly say Trump deserved to win, he praised the American leader’s recent diplomatic efforts, saying Trump is “doing a lot to solve crises that have lasted years, in some cases, decades.”
“Donald sincerely is aiming for peace,” Putin added. “The most striking example is the situation in the Middle East.”
His comments came just days after Trump announced Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire agreement to end the Gaza war, a truce that took effect Friday.
In an unusual alignment, the White House also slammed the Nobel Committee’s decision.
Spokesman Steven Cheung accused the committee of “placing politics over peace” and argued Trump’s diplomatic record made him the obvious choice.
“President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.
He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,” Cheung wrote on X.
Trump has long criticized the Nobel Committee for what he sees as unfair treatment.
He recently claimed his administration had “ended eight wars” since taking office in January and called any other winner “a big insult” to the United States.
Trump hasn’t directly responded to missing out on the 2025 prize, but posted videos on Truth Social showing supporters celebrating the Gaza ceasefire.
The Nobel Committee’s chairman, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, explained that Machado earned the honor for “speaking out for judicial independence, human rights, and popular representation” in Venezuela.
Nominations for the 2025 prize closed on January 31, less than two weeks into Trump’s second term.
Four former U.S. presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama. Former Vice President Al Gore also received the honor.
