Once upon a time two schoolchildren bitterly fought for a water bottle in the playground, only to be separated by concerned grown-ups. These children, now grown nuclear-armed nations, must act wisely—or risk dragging the world into World War III.

The grown-ups—countries such as the United States, Russia, EU, and multilateral institutions—fatigued by their own problems, have become distracted and disinterested. This has fast dissolved all international constraints on escalation.

The Pahalgam attack plunged India and Pakistan into a dangerous escalatory cycle. Diplomatic expulsions, treaty suspensions, and cross-border clashes have gradually escalated into direct confrontation. Within two weeks of the Pahalgam attack, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” striking several locations in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure, explicitly avoiding Pakistani military sites. Islamabad reported civilian casualties, and said two mosques were among the sites hit.

Muzaffarabad plunged into blackout, and local witnesses described jets overhead and intense artillery fire along the Line of Control.

Pakistan says it shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales and a MiG-29, and launched retaliatory strikes against Indian security outposts. India has not confirmed its sites were hit and has called its actions “measured,” but the damage has already been done.

The Kremlin, expressing “great concern,” urged both countries to take steps to reduce tensions, reaffirming........

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