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U.S. President Donald Trump is once again openly campaigning for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, this time by turning to Europe after failing to secure the award last year. A coordinated appeal, backed by the Israeli Knesset and the U.S. Congress, has landed on the desks of parliamentary speakers across the continent, triggering political unease, public criticism and sharp divisions among EU member states over whether Trump should be endorsed, EUalive’s partner European Pravda reports . The latest appeal, initiated by the speakers of the Israeli Knesset and the U.S. House of Representatives, was sent to parliamentary leaders in several countries, calling on them to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The letter reportedly portrays Trump as a “protector of peace” committed to dialogue, diplomacy and global leadership, claiming that he has contributed to ending eight conflicts worldwide. Trump himself has repeatedly said that he deserves the award. Lithuania is among the countries that have received the letter, but its parliamentary leadership is not rushing to endorse it. The chancellery of the Seimas confirmed that the document arrived on 22 January and was forwarded to Speaker Juozas Olekas. Reportedly, Olekas has so far declined to sign the appeal. “The decision to sign has not been made,” Olekas told public broadcaster LRT. “We will hold consultations with other parliamentarians in the region, and only then will we decide. Lithuania will make its choice after discussing it with our closest partners.” The cautious approach stands in contrast to developments elsewhere in the region. Latvian Parliament Speaker Daiga Mierinja signed the letter, triggering criticism at home, where opponents accused her of acting unilaterally on a matter with significant foreign policy implications. Hungary’s Speaker of Parliament, László Köver, has also added his signature to the appeal. Trump receives second-hand Nobel Peace Prize In Poland, however, the reaction has been openly hostile. The Speaker of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czaszty (New Left) said that Trump does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, arguing that his actions undermine international stability rather than promote peace. Responding to the same letter from Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Czaszty accused the American president of destabilising key international organisations and alliances. “President Trump, in my opinion, is destabilising the situation in organisations such as NATO, the EU, the UN and the WHO by pursuing a policy of force and transactional politics,” Czaszty reportedly said, adding that Trump’s approach contradicts the principles and values traditionally associated with the Nobel Peace Prize. He also dismissed the Board of Peace created by the U.S. president as an “illusory” body and pointed to Trump’s threats towards European countries during disputes over Greenland. According to Czaszty, such behaviour constitutes violations of political norms, shared values and, in some cases, international law. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski (Civic Coalition) adopted a more conditional stance. On 30 January, he suggested that he could support Trump’s nomination, but only if the U.S. president plays a decisive role in ending the war in Ukraine. Trump’s frustration with the Nobel Committee is no secret. Earlier, he wrote a letter to the Norwegian prime minister in which he linked his statements about taking control of Greenland to the fact that he had not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The White House has also criticised the Nobel Committee, accusing it of “putting politics above peace” after Trump was once again passed over. Bulgaria’s caretaker PM joins Trump’s “Board of Peace” at oligarch’s urging Talks in Abu Dhabi The renewed debate over Trump’s Nobel ambitions coincides with preparations for a new round of diplomatic talks on Ukraine. The Ukrainian negotiating team has departed for Abu Dhabi, where trilateral meetings involving representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia are scheduled for 4 and 5 February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the development in his evening address on Monday, saying that Kyiv continues to work closely with Washington to advance what he described as “real solutions for peace”. “Today there was a meeting with our delegation – the guys are already on their way. The meetings will be on Wednesday and Thursday,” Zelenskyy said. He added that, alongside the trilateral format, bilateral negotiations with the United States are also planned. According to Zelenskyy, the talks will cover security guarantees as well as issues related to Ukraine’s reconstruction and long-term development. “There is something to agree on, there is content that requires further work. We are ready for security guarantees,” he said. Media reports indicate that Trump’s special representative, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Abu Dhabi to take part in the upcoming round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Russia’s cynical negotiation facade: bombardment undermines talks while extremist demands persist Caption:  US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, DC, USA, 30 January 2026. EPA/FRANCIS CHUNG / POOL

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