Trump’s mediation offer renews focus on Kashmir after India-Pakistan clash risked broader war

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — A series of military strikes last week by India and Pakistan brought the nuclear-armed rivals closer to a broader war. The possibility of a nuclear conflagration seemed real and the fighting only stopped when global powers intervened.

Experts say the crisis deepened the neighbors' rivalry as both crossed a threshold with each striking the other with high-speed missiles and drones. The tit-for-tat strikes also brought Kashmir again into global focus, as the U.S. President Donald Trump offered mediation over the simmering dispute that has long been described as the regional nuclear flashpoint.

Paul Staniland, South Asia expert and a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, said the four days of fighting shows that “India now feels substantial space to directly target Pakistan, as well as that Pakistan is willing to escalate in response.”

Unlike in past years, when fighting was largely limited to Kashmir, the two armies last week fired missiles and drones at each other’s military installations deep inside their cities and exchanged gunfire and heavy artillery along their frontier in Kashmir.

Dozens of people were killed on both sides. Each claimed it inflicted heavy damage on the other and said its strikes met the country’s objectives.

The fighting began Wednesday after India retaliated for last month's attack that killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Kashmir, a Himalayan territory claimed in entirety by both nations. India blamed Pakistan for supporting the attackers, an accusation Islamabad denied, saying no evidence was shared.

The Indian military said it could again strike Pakistan if it felt threatened. Pakistan’s military also warned against any violation of the country’s sovereignty and vowed to respond.

Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir and the specter of two nuclear-armed foes once again trading blows over the region alarmed international community. Trump on Saturday broke news that the two countries had agreed to stop fighting after U.S.-led talks. On Sunday, Trump once again offered to help and said he will work to provide a “solution” regarding the dispute over Kashmir.

Pakistan thanked the U.S and Trump for facilitating the ceasefire. India, however, has not said anything about Trump's mediation offer and only acknowledged the ceasefire was reached after military contacts with Pakistan.

Trump’s Kashmir offer also provoked criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which has insisted Kashmir is India's internal issue and had opposed any third-party intervention, arguing it was fighting “Pakistan’s proxy war.”

Pakistan’s position is that divided Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and must be solved according to the U.N. resolutions and wishes of Kashmiri people.

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman called Trump’s offer “a diplomatic coup for Pakistan.”

“A core and consistent Pakistani foreign policy goal is to internationalize the Kashmir issue. And that’s exactly what has happened here, much to the chagrin of an Indian government that takes a rigid position that the issue is settled and there’s nothing to discuss,” he said.

Meanwhile, people on both sides of the border have heaved a sigh of relief after the ceasefire but some insisted a lasting peace will only be possible if Kashmir dispute is solved.

Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said “the two countries have to give Kashmiris a chair at the table of negotiations for a more durable peace process and faster resolution of the problem.” He said Kashmiris have lost more lives due to the conflict than government forces on both sides.

"They always have more to lose … in the absence of mechanisms that resolve the Kashmir dispute,” Donthi said.

For residents in Kashmir, the dispute is not just about India and Pakistan, or mere geopolitics and diplomacy, but about survival and peace.

“Let's be honest, India and Pakistan are fighting over Kashmir. So let it be resolved once and forever,” said student Shazia Tabbasum.

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Family members watch the live telecast of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on a television at their residence in Hyderabad, India, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

A vendor sells news papers after India Pakistan reported no incidents of firing overnight, at RS Pura, along the International Border, India, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

A Kashmiri man sells cherry to passersby and travelers on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway, after India and Pakistan reported no incidents of firing overnight, in Pattan in Indian controlled Kashmir Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

An Indian soldier feeds pigeons at a market, day after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday following U.S.-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades, in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, May 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

A villager shows the wall of his house riddled with shrapnels from Pakistani artillery shelling at RS Pura, along the International Border, India, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has captured her second consecutive Brisbane International title, and 22nd overall, with a straight sets victory over Marta Kostyuk on Sunday.

It was the third year in a row Sabalanka appeared in the final and the Belorussian player looked in comfortable surroundings as she closed out a 6-4, 6-3 victory in just 1 hour and 17 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena.

The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year’s Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.

Kostyuk went hard early by attacking Sabalenka’s second serve, clawing back an early break with sublime drop shots that briefly rattled the world's top-ranked player.

However, the Belorussian’s relentless intensity and match-smarts proved decisive as she exploited the oppressive Brisbane humidity with punishing baseline rallies to clinch the opening set in 40 minutes.

As Kostyuk wilted under the physical strain, Sabalenka accelerated in the second set.

With a mix of raking groundstrokes and deceptive drop shots, she forced a mounting error count from the Ukrainian to close out the match without dropping a set all week.

After sealing the victory, Sabalenka looked down the court at Kostyuk and kissed both biceps - a likely nod to previous comments by the Ukranian that she possessed higher testosterone levels than other players.

Kostyuk has said the comments made in an interview last year had been taken out of context, but further the tensions between the pair since the Ukranian's refusal to shake Sabalenka's hand after a match at the French Open in 2023.

The exchange resulted in a frosty post-match presentation. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk spoke passionately about her homeland but notably declined to mention Sabalenka by name.

“I want to say a few words about Ukraine,” Kostyuk said. “I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now, it’s minus 20 degrees outside right now, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.

"I was incredibly moved and happy to see so many Ukrainian fans and flags here this week … Slava Ukraini.”

Sabalenka, meanwhile, congratulated Kostyuk, stating she hoped they would meet in another final soon. She also took a cheeky dig at her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis during her victory speech.

“Hopefully soon I will call you somehow else,” Sabalenka said looking at Frangulis in the player's box. “That just put extra pressure, right?”

Later Sunday, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev played Brandon Nakashima in the final of the men’s tournament at Brisbane.

The former No. 1-ranked Medvedev is seeking his 22nd career title, while it will be Nakashima’s first ATP Tour final in four years.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus poses with the winners trophy after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, hugs her support team after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine reacts after missing a shot during the women's final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus waves to the crowd after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)