Despite Donald Trump’s apparent unwillingness to see America act as a world policeman, the US remains influential in brokering peace. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan has defused what was threatening to become a serious confrontation, even an all-out war between two nuclear-armed neighbours with long-standing animosity towards one another.
The plaudits appear to be owed to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, for getting the two sides to back away from potential calamity. However, the vexed issue of Kashmir and the 80-year feud over sovereignty remains unresolved and always threatens to become a casus belli. Tensions still remain high on both sides, and the threat of renewed conflict is ever present.
Pakistan’s denials of any connections to the Islamist terrorists whose murderous attack on Indian tourists precipitated the recent crisis is evidently not believed in Delhi. The latter’s threat to cut off the water supplies to Pakistan was seen there as an act of war, while China, India’s rival for power in the region, was too close to Lahore to act as an honest broker.
The Americans, as they have in the past, stepped in and helped to guide the two countries towards a ceasefire, even though some breaches were still being reported. This was a welcome departure by Washington from the seeming doctrine of non-intervention articulated by JD Vance, who said just days ago that “the fighting was none of our business”. It appears there are still cool heads within Donald Trump’s administration who understand the value of diplomacy.
It was in America’s interests, and the rest of the world’s, to prevent a conflagration on the sub-continent. Can a similarly hard-headed approach now bring Vladimir Putin to the table for sensible, unconditional negotiations over Ukraine?
The Russian leader says he is interested in talks even as his armed forces continue their raids on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Why should the leaders of the invaded country attend negotiations while remaining under attack or being expected to surrender everything lost so far? European leaders have threatened further sanctions unless Putin agrees to a 30-day ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. It is time for Washington to make the same threat.
Despite Donald Trump’s apparent unwillingness to see America act as a world policeman, the US remains influential in brokering peace. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan has defused what was threatening to become a serious confrontation, even an all-out war between two nuclear-armed neighbours with long-standing animosity towards one another.
The plaudits appear to be owed to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, for getting the two sides to back away from potential calamity. However, the vexed issue of Kashmir and the 80-year feud over sovereignty remains unresolved and always threatens to become a casus belli. Tensions still remain high on both sides, and the threat of renewed conflict is ever present.
Pakistan’s denials of any connections to the Islamist terrorists whose murderous attack on Indian tourists precipitated the recent crisis is evidently not believed in Delhi. The latter’s threat to cut off the water supplies to Pakistan was seen there as an act of war, while China, India’s rival for power in the region, was too close to Lahore to act as an honest broker.
The Americans, as they have in the past, stepped in and helped to guide the two countries towards a ceasefire, even though some breaches were still being reported. This was a welcome departure by Washington from the seeming doctrine of non-intervention articulated by JD Vance, who said just days ago that “the fighting was none of our business”. It appears there are still cool heads within Donald Trump’s administration who understand the value of diplomacy.
It was in America’s interests, and the rest of the world’s, to prevent a conflagration on the sub-continent. Can a similarly hard-headed approach now bring Vladimir Putin to the table for sensible, unconditional negotiations over Ukraine?
The Russian leader says he is interested in talks even as his armed forces continue their raids on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Why should the leaders of the invaded country attend negotiations while remaining under attack or being expected to surrender everything lost so far? European leaders have threatened further sanctions unless Putin agrees to a 30-day ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. It is time for Washington to make the same threat.