Trump says leaders of India and Pakistan 'decided' to end conflict
In a first, US President Donald Trump has admitted that "two very smart" leaders of India and Pakistan after they "decided" to end the conflict, without mentioning the US role in the mediation talks.
It comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed the US role in ending conflict with Pakistan during a call with Trump on Tuesday. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-U.S. trade deal or U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said in a statement.
Trump was hosting Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday when he spoke about the ceasefire.
"Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war," he told reporters.
The lunch meeting was the first time a US president had hosted the head of Pakistan's army, widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country, at the White House unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials.
Trump said he was honoured to meet Munir and that they had discussed Iran, which he said Pakistan knew better than most.
Pakistan's military said in a statement that the two discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency during the two-hour meeting and also exchanged views on tensions between Israel and Iran.
"President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests," the army said.
The meeting represented a major boost in US-Pakistan ties, which had largely languished under Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.
Asked earlier what he wanted to achieve from meeting Munir, Trump told reporters: "Well, I stopped a war ... I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India.
"But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side and others," he said. "They were going at it - and they're both nuclear countries. I got it stopped."
The heaviest fighting in decades between India and Pakistan was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people. New Delhi blamed "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies.
Pakistan has previously said the ceasefire happened after its military returned a call the Indian military initiated.
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