US President Donald Trump has offered to assist Pakistan and India in de-escalating their growing tensions, urging both nations to cease hostilities and pursue peace.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump expressed his willingness to intervene and provide assistance if necessary.
“It’s so terrible,” Trump stated at the White House. “I get along with both, I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop.
“They’ve gone tit-for-tat, so hopefully they can stop now.”
Trump’s comments followed heavy artillery exchanges between India and Pakistan along their contested border, subsequent to deadly missile strikes launched by New Delhi against its long-standing rival.
The fighting resulted in at least 43 reported fatalities, occurring two weeks after New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting an attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a claim Pakistan has denied.
While Pakistan has historically been a key US military ally, Trump has actively sought to strengthen relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he hosted at the White House in February.
“We get along with both countries very well, good relationships with both, and I want to see it stop,” Trump reiterated in the Oval Office.
“And if I can do anything to help, I will be there.”
Trump initially downplayed the crisis, attributing it to long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan, even suggesting they had been in conflict for 1,500 years, despite both nations only gaining independence from Britain in 1947.
However, his administration has taken swift action in the past 24 hours following the Indian strikes.
The White House disclosed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in discussions with his counterparts from India and Pakistan on Friday, encouraging them to resume dialogue to “defuse” the situation.
