New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Thursday once again took credit for preventing a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, while voicing optimism that his forthcoming talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska could help pave the way towards peace in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated, “If you look at Pakistan and India, planes were being knocked out of the air. Six or seven planes came down. They were ready to go, maybe nuclear. We solved that.”
#WATCH | Washington DC | “6-7 planes were knocked out in India-Pakistan war, they were ready to go nuclear, we solved that…” says US President Donald Trump.
(Source: Unrestricted Pool Via Reuters) pic.twitter.com/3esGVAkC5W
— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025
India Rejects Third-Party Mediation
India has consistently denied any external mediation in the ceasefire with Pakistan. During a special session in Parliament on Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified that no foreign leader had urged India to halt the military operation, which was launched in response to the 22 April terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.
“We had said from day one that our action was non-escalatory. No leader in the world asked us to stop Operation Sindoor,” the Prime Minister said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also reaffirmed that no third-party mediation played a role in achieving the ceasefire. He further emphasised that the decision to pause military activity was unrelated to any trade negotiations, countering claims made by President Trump.
Despite India’s firm rejection of any foreign involvement, Trump has, since 10 May, maintained that he helped broker a “full and immediate” ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours through discussions allegedly facilitated by Washington.
Trump’s latest assertions come on the eve of his meeting with President Putin in Alaska, scheduled for Friday.
“I think President Putin will make peace, I think President Zelenskiy will make peace,” Trump told journalists at the White House. “We’ll see if they get along.”
However, he tempered expectations regarding an immediate resolution emerging from the summit.
“I think it’s going to be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we’re having. We’re going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelenskiy, myself, and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along. Maybe not. I don’t know that,” he added.