Trump Concedes Pakistan’s Strategic Importance

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that Pakistan cannot be ignored and emphasized the need for sustained engagement with the South Asian country.

In a recent interview with an American news outlet, Trump reflected on the heightened tensions between Pakistan and India during his presidency, warning that the two nations were on the brink of nuclear war. “The situation had escalated to the point where nuclear war could have broken out,” he stated, adding that both sides were engaged in missile strikes at the time.

“The fighting was intensifying; missiles were being launched with maximum force,” Trump said, highlighting the severity of the conflict. He underscored that both countries are not minor nuclear states but powerful nations with significant nuclear capabilities. “These are not minor powers—they are major nuclear powers,” he added.

Trump noted that the U.S. had held constructive talks with Pakistan and emphasized the importance of ongoing communication. “We had excellent talks with Pakistan,” he said, pointing out Pakistan’s interest in expanding trade relations with the United States. “They want to trade with us,” he remarked.

Although U.S.-Pakistan trade remains limited, Trump described bilateral ties as positive and praised the Pakistani people. “They are intelligent people. They make amazing things,” he said.

During the interview, Trump said he instructed his administration to maintain open lines of communication with both Pakistan and India. “I told my people to reach out to Pakistan and India,” he recalled. He also encouraged both nations to prioritize economic cooperation over conflict. “We said to both countries, ‘We should do trade’,” he noted, confirming that initial trade talks with Pakistan had begun under his leadership.

Shifting focus to other global issues, Trump claimed that Iran was eager to reach an agreement with the U.S., and warned Russia of serious consequences if it failed to negotiate a settlement with Ukraine. “If a deal is not made with Ukraine, we will impose devastating sanctions on Russia,” he said.

He also dismissed the idea that the Ukrainian president held any leverage over him. “The Ukrainian president has no ‘Trump card’,” he quipped.

Reflecting on recent diplomatic developments, Trump called them a major achievement. “This is the greatest success—it should be acknowledged,” he concluded.

Source: Web Desk