Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has extended Moscow’s readiness to help ease escalating tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region.
This came during a conversation on Sunday with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, according to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Particular attention was paid to the significant rise in tension between New Delhi and Islamabad,” the ministry stated, referencing the discussion between Lavrov and Dar.
The ministry further noted, “It was stressed that Russia is ready to act for a political settlement of the situation resulting from the act of terrorism of April 22 in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley, in the event of a mutual desire on the part of Islamabad and New Delhi.”
Lavrov’s outreach to Dar followed a similar dialogue two days earlier with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, where he also advocated for peaceful resolution between the South Asian neighbors.
The heightened diplomatic activity comes after a deadly attack by suspected militants in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir last week, which left at least 26 people dead.
The picturesque mountain area, popular among tourists, became the site of yet another tragic episode in the longstanding conflict over Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan and plagued by decades of insurgency, wars, and stalled diplomacy.
Despite its strong historical ties with India, particularly as its primary arms supplier, Russia has signaled willingness to mediate, should both Islamabad and New Delhi express interest in a peaceful dialogue.
