Trump vows to quickly resolve Asia crisis

US president Donald Trump said he is ready to quickly mediate the crisis between Afghanistan and Pakistan, where tensions have been rising in recent weeks due to border clashes. His remarks came on Sunday, October 26, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, as talks between the two countries entered their second day.

Trump said he would "solve this issue very quickly" if the sides fail to achieve lasting peace on their own.

"I heard that Pakistan and Afghanistan have started up," said Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. "But I’ll get that solved very quickly."

Armed clashes between the two nations escalated in early October, marking the bloodiest border fighting in years. According to Afghan officials, dozens were killed and hundreds wounded. Pakistan, however, said its actions targeted only militants and denied striking civilians.

The second round of peace talks between Kabul and Islamabad is taking place in Istanbul, aiming to reinforce the fragile ceasefire earlier reached in Doha. The Afghan delegation demands that Pakistan stop violating its border and airspace and prevent militant groups hostile to Afghanistan from operating on its territory.

Afghan media report that both sides are discussing the creation of a "quadrilateral monitoring mechanism" to oversee compliance with the ceasefire and exchange information on possible violations. Pakistan has thus far refrained from issuing an official comment.

Analysts note that Trump’s statement could signal Washington’s intention to play a more active role in the peace process. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed gratitude to Trump for his previous involvement in easing border tensions with India.

Border regions of Pakistan have remained flashpoints since 1979, when the country became a key base for the US-backed war against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.