During growing tensions between Pakistan and India, U.S. President Donald Trump has urged quick de-escalation, the White House announced on Friday.
This request comes after India carried out recent airstrikes against nine terror-related facilities in Pakistan and PoK under the title of 'Operation Sindoor,' which were launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that resulted in 26 deaths, most of them tourists.
"Decades of Discord"
"The President has said he would like to see this de-escalate as soon as possible," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing. "He knows these are two nations that have been at odds with each other for decades, well before President Trump was in the Oval Office."
Leavitt also mentioned that U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio are busy dealing with the diplomatic fallout. "This is something that the Secretary of State and, of course, now our national security advisor as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in," she said.
Open Channels with New Delhi and Islamabad
Emphasizing Trump's individual rapport with Indian and Pakistani leadership, Leavitt said that the administration is in ongoing communication with the two countries. "He has good relationships" with their leaders, she stated, and asserted that Rubio "has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, attempting to end this conflict."
Diplomatic Outreach Intensifies
In two phone calls on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Rubio reaffirmed the US strong stand against stopping terrorism and called for restraint.
Rubio “emphasised the need for de-escalation and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups,” Leavitt stated. During the call, Jaishankar firmly conveyed New Delhi’s resolve, declaring that India would “firmly counter any attempts by Pakistan to escalate the situation.”
US Had Advance Intel on Airstrikes
President Trump revealed that the U.S. had advance notice of India's military response. Speaking after Operation Sindoor, he explained to journalists, "We knew something was going to happen." On the context of the long-standing tense relations between the two neighboring countries in South Asia, he said, "They have been fighting for many many decades, and centuries when you think about it. I just hope it ends very quickly."
Offer to Mediate
As the situation raised more concerns, Trump volunteered to serve as a mediator on May 8. "Oh it's so terrible! My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out," he said to ANI. Observing the repetitive pattern of the conflict, he further remarked, "They've gotten tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now." Trump then concluded, "And if I can do anything to help, I will be there."
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