WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said he leveraged the threat of cutting off trade to push India and Pakistan toward de-escalating their conflict.
At White House press briefing, Donald Trump said he told both Asian nations they would only benefit from trade with Washington if they agreed to cease hostilities. “I told them, if the conflict stops, we can do business. If not, there will be no trade,” he said.
He went on to commend the leadership in both countries for showing strength and understanding in a difficult situation. “They showed determination and wisdom, and really grasped how serious things were,” Trump added.
Trump also highlighted what he viewed as a distinctive diplomatic approach, claiming that his use of trade as a negotiating tool helped bring about a change. “Trade has never been used this way before, and suddenly they agreed to step back — and they did,” he concluded.
Earlier in the day, Top military officials from Pakistan and India held discussions to finalise ceasefire agreement brokered by US after four days of intense clashes. The ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday, emphasizing the need to stop the aggression that could have caused significant destruction.
Although both nations have ceased hostilities, they remain on high alert, warning of consequences if the ceasefire is broken. India also reopened 32 airports that were previously closed for safety reasons.
The conflict, fueled by tensions over Kashmir, nearly escalated into a full-blown war, with both sides reporting casualties due to heavy shelling along the de facto border. Following the ceasefire, both countries claimed military victories, with India reporting strikes on Pakistan’s military bases and Pakistan claiming to have targeted Indian facilities.
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