Trump repeats claim of settling India-Pakistan conflict during UK visit

London, Sep 18 (PTI) US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he had intervened to resolve a conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year among seven global clashes during his State Visit to the UK on Thursday.

Addressing a joint press conference with Keir Starmer at the British Prime Minister’s countryside residence of Chequers in Buckinghamshire, Trump said his “biggest disappointment” had been that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “let him down” over the ongoing conflict with Ukraine but succeeded with India and Pakistan using the instrument of trade.

Later, he also referenced tariffs imposed on India despite being “very close” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for buying Russian oil.

“We did seven and most of them were not thought to be settleable. We did India, and we did Pakistan. That's two nuclear (countries),” Trump told reporters in response to a question about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“That was purely for trade. You [India and Pakistan] want to trade with us, you're going to have to get along. And they [India and Pakistan] were going at it hot and heavy,” he said.

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor in response to the Pakistan-backed terrorist strike in Pahalgam in April, Trump had taken to on social media to proclaim that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire and has gone on to repeatedly claim that he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that America will do a "lot of trade" with them if they stopped the conflict.

India has consistently denied any third-party intervention, maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

Over the trade tariffs imposed on India, Trump stated: “Very simply, if the price of oil comes down, Putin is going to drop out. He's going to have no choice. He's going to drop out of that war.

“And when I found out that the European nations were buying oil from Russia, and as you know, I'm very close to India. I'm very close to the Prime Minister of India, I spoke to him the other day to wish him a Happy Birthday. We have a very good relationship and he put out a beautiful statement too. But I sanctioned them.” Trump also pointed to China paying a “very large tariff” to the United States and that he was willing to do other things to intervene in the conflict only if "the people that I'm fighting for are buying oil from Russia".

"If the oil price comes down, very simply, Russia will settle, and the oil price is way down, we got it way down,” he said.

On the Russia-Ukraine situation, Trump said he hoped to “have some good news” but also stressed that it doesn't directly affect the United States.

“You [the UK] are a lot closer to the scene than we are. We have a whole ocean separating us. But I will say this, millions of people have died in that war,” he said.

Opening the joint press conference, Starmer said he was “more optimistic than ever and more confident than ever” about the UK-US partnership.

Trump also praised Starmer as a “tough negotiator” as he welcomed the “historic” and “very good” trade deal with the UK struck earlier in the year.

When asked about the UK’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state over the Israel-Hamas conflict, Trump said he wanted all the hostages taken in the October 7, 2023, attacks to be released.

“I have a disagreement with the Prime Minister [Starmer] on that score. One of our few disagreements, actually,” he admitted. PTI AK SCY SCY