(MENAFN) Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to de-escalate tensions and work together toward peace, urging him to rein in the M23 rebels whose actions have already cost many lives.

Speaking at the second edition of the European Union’s Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Tshisekedi called on Kagame to "embrace the path of dialogue" and choose "peace above differences."

"It is not too late to make it right. I'm using this forum to extend my hand to you, Mr. President, so that we can make peace. Today, we are the only two capable of stopping this escalation," he declared, directly addressing Kagame, who was present at the event.

"And this necessitates that you issue an order to the M23 troops, who are backed by your country, to halt this escalation, which has claimed enough lives. It is time to put an end to this and instead focus on peace and development," Tshisekedi added.

He also announced that he would temporarily suspend his repeated calls for sanctions against Rwanda over its alleged involvement in the eastern Congo conflict, saying this move serves as “proof that the DRC is not belligerent. It wants true peace.”

Kagame, who had delivered remarks earlier at the same forum, did not issue a response.

When approached for comment, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe dismissed Tshisekedi’s statements as "political theatrics that have become ridiculous," accusing him of raising the issue in an inappropriate setting.

“President Tshisekedi mentioned that only he and President Kagame can end this war. This is not true; he alone can end the war. He can do so first by ending his threats against Rwanda and Kagame, because he has made several public threats to invade Rwanda and bomb Kigali without ever setting foot on the ground,” Nduhungirehe said, according to reports.

The minister further claimed that Tshisekedi’s assertion of non-aggression toward Rwanda is "a lie."

MENAFN12102025000045017281ID1110184713