SOFREP Evening Brief: Trump Announces Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan, Putin Show Defiance as Ceasefire Talks Continue, Sudan Ravaged After Two Years of Civil War
From the India-Pakistan border to Putin’s parade and Sudan’s ruins, the world’s flashpoints remain anything but quiet.
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to an immediate ceasefire, bringing a sudden halt to several days of escalating violence, especially in the tense Kashmir region. The ceasefire comes after a series of missile strikes and retaliatory attacks that left more than 60 people dead and military installations damaged on both sides. Trump made the announcement via Truth Social, praising both nations for showing what he called “Common Sense and Great Intelligence” in stepping back from the brink.
The agreement, which took effect at 5 p.m. Indian time, was confirmed by top officials from both countries—Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar—through social media posts. According to statements from both sides, the deal includes a full stop to hostilities across land, air, and sea, and a reactivation of military hotlines to avoid further misunderstandings.
The United States played a key role in brokering the truce, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American effort, joined by officials from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Pakistani officials and Trump credited U.S. mediation for the breakthrough, though Indian sources were quick to claim the deal was a direct bilateral arrangement, downplaying Washington’s involvement.
Tensions flared last month after a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir on April 22, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. India responded with a series of air and missile strikes under what it called “Operation Sindoor,” triggering immediate retaliation from Pakistan. The exchange brought the two nuclear-armed neighbors dangerously close to open war—something the ceasefire now appears to have temporarily averted.
While there’s talk of possible broader negotiations to follow, India’s government has denied committing to any talks beyond the ceasefire itself. Given the long history of failed truces and deep-rooted suspicion between the two nations, whether this ceasefire holds is anyone’s guess. For now, the guns are silent—but as always in South Asia, peace comes with an asterisk.
Putin Shows Defiance as Ceasefire Talks Continue
While the West pushes hard for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is making it clear he has no intention of playing along—at least not on anyone else’s terms. On May 9, as calls for peace grew louder from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe, Putin presided over Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow. The event was a celebration of past military triumphs as well as a carefully staged show of strength. Flanked by Chinese President Xi Jinping and other allies, Putin used the occasion to draw a straight line from World War II to today’s war in Ukraine, casting Russia as a nation once again standing alone against foreign aggression.
Even as ceasefire negotiations continue, Russian forces are still pressing forward on the battlefield, particularly in Ukraine’s Sumy region. These continued attacks fly in the face of any real commitment to peace and suggest that Moscow sees the ceasefire talks more as a propaganda tool than a path forward. Adding to the confusion, the Kremlin announced a three-day “Victory Day ceasefire” without coordinating with Ukraine. When Kyiv didn’t officially join in, Russia was quick to accuse Ukraine of spoiling the deal—a classic blame-shifting tactic that makes Russia look like the reasonable party while continuing business as usual on the front lines.
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to an immediate ceasefire, bringing a sudden halt to several days of escalating violence, especially in the tense Kashmir region. The ceasefire comes after a series of missile strikes and retaliatory attacks that left more than 60 people dead and military installations damaged on both sides. Trump made the announcement via Truth Social, praising both nations for showing what he called “Common Sense and Great Intelligence” in stepping back from the brink.
The agreement, which took effect at 5 p.m. Indian time, was confirmed by top officials from both countries—Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar—through social media posts. According to statements from both sides, the deal includes a full stop to hostilities across land, air, and sea, and a reactivation of military hotlines to avoid further misunderstandings.
The United States played a key role in brokering the truce, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American effort, joined by officials from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Pakistani officials and Trump credited U.S. mediation for the breakthrough, though Indian sources were quick to claim the deal was a direct bilateral arrangement, downplaying Washington’s involvement.
Tensions flared last month after a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir on April 22, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. India responded with a series of air and missile strikes under what it called “Operation Sindoor,” triggering immediate retaliation from Pakistan. The exchange brought the two nuclear-armed neighbors dangerously close to open war—something the ceasefire now appears to have temporarily averted.
While there’s talk of possible broader negotiations to follow, India’s government has denied committing to any talks beyond the ceasefire itself. Given the long history of failed truces and deep-rooted suspicion between the two nations, whether this ceasefire holds is anyone’s guess. For now, the guns are silent—but as always in South Asia, peace comes with an asterisk.
Putin Shows Defiance as Ceasefire Talks Continue
While the West pushes hard for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is making it clear he has no intention of playing along—at least not on anyone else’s terms. On May 9, as calls for peace grew louder from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe, Putin presided over Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow. The event was a celebration of past military triumphs as well as a carefully staged show of strength. Flanked by Chinese President Xi Jinping and other allies, Putin used the occasion to draw a straight line from World War II to today’s war in Ukraine, casting Russia as a nation once again standing alone against foreign aggression.
Even as ceasefire negotiations continue, Russian forces are still pressing forward on the battlefield, particularly in Ukraine’s Sumy region. These continued attacks fly in the face of any real commitment to peace and suggest that Moscow sees the ceasefire talks more as a propaganda tool than a path forward. Adding to the confusion, the Kremlin announced a three-day “Victory Day ceasefire” without coordinating with Ukraine. When Kyiv didn’t officially join in, Russia was quick to accuse Ukraine of spoiling the deal—a classic blame-shifting tactic that makes Russia look like the reasonable party while continuing business as usual on the front lines.
Putin’s conditions for a broader ceasefire are tough, if not deliberately impossible. He wants Ukraine to stop all military mobilization and demands that the West cease arms shipments and intelligence support. Ukraine and its allies have flatly rejected these terms, calling them little more than delay tactics dressed up as diplomacy. Meanwhile, Putin and his top advisors are working hard to frame the war as part of a broader existential fight against Western “Russophobia” and NATO expansion. It’s a message meant to keep domestic support strong and signal that the Kremlin is preparing for a long haul—not just in Ukraine, but potentially against the West itself.
Russia is also hedging its bets diplomatically. While the U.S. and Europe try to isolate Moscow, Putin is deepening ties with China and other non-Western nations, crafting what he hopes will be an alternative to the Western-led world order. This is all part of a bigger play to show that Russia can’t be sidelined and isn’t about to fold under pressure.
Bottom line: while the West talks peace, Putin is flexing military muscle, laying down hardline demands, and forging global alliances to back up his defiance. For now, the Kremlin’s actions make clear that peace isn’t the priority—positioning, posturing, and prolonging the fight are.
Sudan Ravaged By Two Years of Civil War
Two years into a brutal civil war, Sudan is enduring what many are calling the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet. Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), more than 150,000 people have been killed. The human toll goes well beyond the battlefield. Roughly one in every three Sudanese—around 13 to 14 million people—has been displaced. Many have fled to neighboring countries like Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, overwhelming refugee camps and regional support systems. Meanwhile, more than 30 million people inside Sudan need urgent humanitarian assistance, and half the population teeters on the edge of famine.
Sudan’s infrastructure is all but destroyed. Hospitals no longer function, the national museum in Khartoum has been looted, and large swaths of the capital are now little more than rubble. Once a vibrant city, Khartoum is nearly unrecognizable—its airport and key government buildings shattered, its landmarks stripped bare.
Militarily, the SAF retook Khartoum this past March, flipping the momentum after the RSF had held the upper hand in the capital for much of the war. But the RSF remains a powerful force, especially in western Sudan, where the fight for El-Fasher—the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control—has grown increasingly violent. Neither side appears interested in peace talks. Both are aiming for total victory. That mindset has invited more rebel groups and foreign interests into the fray, pushing the country toward deeper fragmentation and chaos.
Politically, the divide is only getting worse. The SAF has leaned into its old Islamist networks and partnered with local resistance groups. Meanwhile, the RSF has gone so far as to set up a rival government out of Nairobi, attempting to legitimize its control over swaths of the country.
The international community has been largely ineffective. Mediation efforts have gone nowhere. Aid is far below what’s needed, and key players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are backing different sides, turning Sudan into yet another proxy battleground. With fighting now spreading into Darfur and Kordofan, the threat of Sudan breaking apart as a state is no longer theoretical—it’s real, and it’s urgent.
For the millions still trapped in the crossfire, survival is uncertain. And for the rest of the world, the time to act meaningfully is running out. Sudan is on the brink of disaster, and it’s bleeding out in plain sight.
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
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Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
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