President Donald Trump accepted the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., marking the first time soccer’s global governing body has awarded the honor.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with the trophy at the Kennedy Center during the World Cup final draw. The award recognizes individuals who advance peace and unity through leadership and action, according to a certificate accompanying the prize.
The Award and Trump’s Response
The golden trophy featured hands holding a soccer ball, and Trump received a medal that he placed around his neck during the presentation. “This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said while accepting the award.
The Trump War Room announced the honor on X, stating that Trump had been recognized “for ending nearly nine wars and for his endless pursuit of peace around the globe.” Trump noted during the ceremony that he and Infantino discussed efforts they believed saved “millions and millions of lives.”
Ukraine Peace Negotiations
The award presentation came amid active diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. A U.S. official told CBS News in November that Ukraine had agreed to the U.S. peace proposal with only “minor details” remaining to be resolved.
Ukrainian national security official Rustem Umerov indicated that Kyiv had reached an understanding on the “core terms” of the American plan following discussions in Geneva. The negotiated framework had been refined from an original 28-point proposal to 19 points after U.S.-Ukraine talks addressed Kyiv’s concerns about the initial draft.
The United States and Russia held undisclosed talks in Abu Dhabi last month as the Trump administration worked to maintain momentum behind its peace initiative, according to Reuters and the Financial Times. Those discussions were expected to continue, with U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll meeting with a Russian delegation.
International Response and Ongoing Conflict
European allies, who were not involved in drafting Trump’s initial proposal, developed their own counter-proposal. They stated that no final framework affecting the European Union or NATO could be agreed to without consent from all member states.
Russia rejected the European plan as unacceptable. Meanwhile, intense fighting persisted on the ground, with Ukrainian officials reporting 460 Russian drones and 22 missiles striking targets overnight into Tuesday, resulting in multiple civilian deaths and injuries.
Romania, a NATO member, detected at least two Russian drones that breached its airspace during Moscow’s latest large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine, prompting the country to scramble fighter jets in response.
This story has been updated. CNN’s International Desk contributed to this report.
