Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's willingness to facilitate a political settlement between New Delhi and Islamabad amid rising tensions. The statement was made during a phone conversation with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Special attention was paid to the significant escalation between New Delhi and Islamabad. The Russian side emphasized its readiness to assist in a political resolution of the situation following the April 22 terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area, provided there is mutual interest from both Islamabad and New Delhi," the ministry stated on its Telegram channel.
The conversation, initiated by the Pakistani side, also covered various aspects of Russian–Pakistani cooperation.
Tensions flared after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen. India has accused the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and alleged involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Since the incident, India has halved its diplomatic presence in Islamabad, suspended a bilateral water-sharing agreement, and halted visa issuance for Pakistani citizens. Military exchanges along the Line of Control have intensified, with nightly exchanges of fire reported for over a week.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials