New York: US President Donald Trump Sunday praised the “strong and unwaveringly powerful” leadership of India and Pakistan for reaching a ceasefire, saying their legacy is greatly enhanced by their brave actions.
“I will work with you both to see if, after a thousand years,” a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control and International Border Saturday.
“I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead (led) to the death and destruction of so many, and so much,” he said.
“Millions of good and innocent people could have died! Your legacy is greatly enhanced by your brave actions. I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision,” Trump said.
He went on to say that even though this has not been discussed, he is going to “increase trade substantially with both of these great Nations.”
Trump Saturday announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington.
Soon after Trump, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm Saturday.
Tensions between India and Pakistan soared after the Indian Armed Forces hit terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last week in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Saturday said that over the past 48 hours, Vice President J D Vance and he engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, “including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.”
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” Rubio said.
Vance had also expressed gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their “hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire.”
“Great work from the President’s team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire,” Vance said in a post on X.
Last month, Trump had said that there have always been tensions between India and Pakistan, and the two countries will figure it out between themselves “one way or the other.”
“I am very close to India and I’m very close to Pakistan, as you know. And they’ve had that fight for 1000 years in Kashmir. Kashmir has been going on for 1,000 years, probably longer than that. And it was a bad one yesterday, though; that was a bad one. Over 30 people,” Trump said during a press gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One on the way to Rome.
Several members of the Trump administration and lawmakers lauded Trump’s efforts for de-escalation.
“I am incredibly proud to serve alongside Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio. This historic administration is working every day to achieve peace. The golden age is coming, and it starts with peace throughout the world,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on X.
Former national security advisor Mike Waltz, whom Trump plans to nominate as US ambassador to the United Nations, said, “progress towards stability in a historically volatile region. It won’t be easy, there will be violations and much work to be done, but another step in President Trump’s commitment to peace.”
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs in the US has said President Trump is the “President of Peace.”
Far-right political activist Laura Loomer said Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on India and Pakistan.
“He is truly such a transformative historical figure and the most consequential President of our lifetime. Once again, he has proven his commitment to Peace. Thank you, President Trump.
PTI
