Stellaris grand strategy space game by Paradox discussy thingy thready thingy

So if I:

  • declare war on another empire
  • make claim on all his systems
  • easily destroy all his fleet and conquer his planets
  • and then watch both our war scores sloooowly creep up (over 13+ years) but he does not surrender and I can’t get him to accept

Does that mean I made too many claims? IE should I break out my claims over 2+ wars?