ISLAMABAD (PEN) : President says trade leverage was used to prevent escalation between nuclear-armed neighbors
U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan’s leadership while highlighting his administration’s role in mediating the recent armed conflict between Pakistan and India. Speaking at a joint event with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, Trump detailed how Washington used diplomatic and economic influence to prevent the crisis from spiraling into full-scale war.
*”They have very strong leadership,”* Trump said of Islamabad, adding, “Some people may not like me saying that, but it is what it is.” He revealed that both countries were “well represented” during backchannel communications, and claimed credit for helping halt the conflict. “They stopped the war. Now will they give me credit? They won’t give me credit for anything. But nobody else could have stopped it,” he remarked.
U.S. Diplomatic Push Behind May 10 Ceasefire
The hostilities, triggered after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), led to a series of retaliatory air and ground strikes between the two nations. India blamed Pakistan for the incident, prompting a three-day offensive that targeted civilian areas across the border. In response, Pakistan’s military launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, reportedly downing six Indian Air Force jets and dozens of drones.
The conflict, which lasted over 87 hours, ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on May 10. Trump claimed he used the leverage of ongoing trade negotiations with both nations to force de-escalation. “If you’re not going to do that, we’re not doing trade deals,” he told reporters.
The Kremlin also acknowledged Trump’s role in bringing both sides to the table. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Trump and President Vladimir Putin had discussed the South Asian conflict during a recent call. “The armed conflict between India and Pakistan \[…] has been halted with the personal involvement of President Trump,” Ushakov said.
Pakistan Launches Global Diplomacy Drive
In the wake of the ceasefire, Islamabad has sent a high-level parliamentary delegation on a diplomatic mission to present its perspective globally and counter India’s narrative. Former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is leading the nine-member team, which includes prominent lawmakers and diplomats such as Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, and Jalil Abbas Jilani.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Bilawal expressed concern that India’s actions had lowered the threshold for future military escalation. “Now we then have about 30 seconds to decide, off a grainy little image, this nuclear-capable missile — is it armed with a nuclear weapon? And how do we respond?” he said.
Bilawal warned that in a future conflict, the pace of escalation could outstrip diplomatic efforts. “Our concern for next time, heaven forbid, is that the threshold is low for a military conflict,” he said. He urged for a comprehensive dialogue between the two nuclear powers to prevent future incidents from escalating uncontrollably.
Trump’s Mediation Reflects Geopolitical Leverage
The latest comments from the U.S. president further underline his administration’s active foreign policy approach. Trump’s assertion that his personal involvement prevented a larger war reinforces his strategy of using trade and diplomacy as tools of international influence.
“I spoke to talented people on both sides. Very good people on both sides. I told them we’re not going to deal with you if you go shooting each other and whipping out nuclear weapons,” he recalled.
While his role in brokering the ceasefire remains contested in some circles, Trump maintains that the conflict could have escalated dramatically without U.S. intervention.
