Why Rwanda Refuses to Lift Its Defenses Despite International Sanctions Premium

Rwanda has increasingly faced sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and political condemnation from the United States and several European countries over the conflict in eastern DRC. Yet Kigali maintains a firm position: it will not scale back its defensive measures until the security threat it attributes to the Kinshasa-backed genocidal FDLR militia is decisively eliminated. This standoff highlights a deep disagreement between Rwanda and its Western partners over what constitutes the real