Moscow (Web Desk/Agencies): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday, offering Russia’s assistance in easing the tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry, special attention was given to the heightened conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad, with both sides grappling with the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir on April 22, which claimed the lives of at least 26 people.
In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that Lavrov assured Russia's readiness to facilitate a political settlement, should both Pakistan and India agree to engage in talks.
This offer came shortly after Lavrov’s conversation with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, where the Russian minister also expressed his hope for a peaceful resolution to the growing differences between the two neighbouring nations.
Kashmir, a region that has been the centre of multiple conflicts, insurgencies, and diplomatic disputes for decades, remains a deeply contentious issue. The latest attack in the area has exacerbated tensions, with the Muslim-majority region continuing to be a focal point of hostility between India and Pakistan.
Russia, which has long been a major supplier of weapons to India, has maintained close ties with New Delhi, dating back to Soviet times.
Moscow’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between Pakistan and India underscore its desire to play a constructive role in regional peace, offering its support to ease tensions and encourage dialogue between the two nations.