President Donald Trump on October 26, 2025, observed the signing of an expanded ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The agreement builds on a truce the White House helped broker over the summer and aims to wind down a border conflict that officials say left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Trump said the accord capped weeks of shuttle talks with both governments. He added that tariff pressure was part of the U.S. toolkit to move the parties toward a deal. After the ceremony, the leaders offered brief remarks to delegates and media before shifting to economic meetings tied to the summit agenda.
Ceasefire terms and immediate steps
The document requires Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held in recent incidents and instructs both sides to begin removing heavy weapons from forward positions along contested areas.
Military liaison channels will be expanded to prevent miscalculation. ASEAN personnel are expected to assist with verification, according to officials present for the signing.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called the day “historic” and said commanders have orders to keep the line quiet. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the agreement creates “the building blocks for a lasting peace.” Trump told attendees, “We did something that a lot of people said could not be done.”
The parties will next set a timeline for drawdowns, prisoner processing, and demining. Provincial authorities along the frontier are preparing to reopen key crossings as conditions allow.
Tariff pressure and shuttle diplomacy
According to international media reports, the administration paired diplomacy with threatened tariff increases to accelerate talks. U.S. officials said the threats were intended to underscore costs if fighting resumed and to keep humanitarian concerns at the center of negotiations.
Washington’s approach followed a pattern seen earlier in the year, when economic leverage was used to discourage escalatory moves. In this case, both governments sought to avoid disruptions to cross-border trade and tourism, which had already suffered during the clashes.
Trump emphasized that the United States would support stabilization, but that implementation rests with Bangkok and Phnom Penh. He described the result as a practical framework rather than a final political settlement.
Summit setting and regional reaction
The ceremony was Trump’s first event after arriving in Kuala Lumpur on his Asia trip, which also includes Japan and South Korea. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the accord in opening remarks, saying reconciliation requires courage from leaders and patience from affected communities.
Delegations from neighboring countries welcomed the ceasefire and urged both sides to use ASEAN mechanisms to avoid future flare-ups. Humanitarian groups pressed for swift access to border zones so displaced families can return and receive assistance.
On arrival, Trump briefly greeted local performers and acknowledged the audience before heading into leader-level sessions. U.S. officials said the showmanship did not detract from the substance of a deal designed to keep forces separated and tempers lowered along the frontier.
Economic deals alongside the truce
After the signing, the president met separately with Cambodian and Thai officials to discuss trade, infrastructure, and agricultural market access. U.S. aides said the talks were meant to pivot the relationship toward commerce if the ceasefire holds.
Trump also signed agreements with Malaysia involving trade and critical minerals, part of a push to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China for key inputs.
A joint U.S.–Malaysia statement said the two countries agreed to strengthen their economic ties and provide exporters “unprecedented access” to each other’s markets. Both sides said the work builds on the 2004 U.S.–Malaysia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and will include new working groups on minerals and advanced manufacturing.
