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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stepped up efforts to defuse tensions between India and Pakistan by speaking with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, urging both parties to “find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication.”

Earlier today, Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir had a conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In order to prevent future crises, he persisted in urging both sides to find methods to deescalate and offered U.S. support in initiating positive conversations, according to a news release from the US Department of State.

“Both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation,” Secretary Rubio also stressed in his conversation with Jaishankar.

According to a press statement released Saturday (India time) and credited to US State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce, “He (Secretary Rubio) further proposed U.S. support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes.”

Secretary Rubio, who also addressed Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, “reiterated that both parties must find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation” in his repeated attempt to defuse tensions between India and Pakistan.

According to a statement also credited to Ms. Bruce, “He also offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.”

Mr. Rubio’s increased effort coincides with Pakistan’s ongoing air and drone attacks on Indian targets. Since the Indian armed forces launched precise attacks on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday in response for the April 22 Pahalgam assault, which was discovered to have cross-border connections, tensions between India and Pakistan have significantly increased.

In addition to calling for a halt to violence and stressing the need for quick de-escalation, Secretary Rubio also talked with EAM Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday (India time).

US President Donald Trump wants the India-Pakistan dispute to “de-escalate as quickly as possible,” the White House said on Friday.

“This is something that the Secretary of State and now our NSA as well, Marco Rubio, has been involved in,” White House news Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a news conference. According to the President, he wants things to de-escalate as soon as possible.

“He (the President of the United States) is aware that these two nations have been at odds for many years, even before President Trump took office. He does, however, have cordial ties with both nations’ governments. In an effort to resolve this disagreement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in close contact with the presidents of both nations, Ms. Leavitt said.