India Welcomes Trump-Putin Summit, Calls for Early End to Ukraine War

India on Saturday welcomed the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, even though the talks ended without a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. The external affairs ministry said the world was eager to see hostilities end soon.

“India welcomes the summit meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Their leadership in the pursuit of peace is highly commendable,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He added: “The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”

The three-hour meeting marked the first direct US-Russia summit since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While both leaders hailed the discussion as productive, neither offered details on how they plan to move forward. Trump said the sides had agreed on “many points” but were still apart on “one very significant” issue, while Putin spoke of reaching an understanding that could “open the way to peace in Ukraine.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also responded to Independence Day greetings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wishing “our friends in Ukraine a future marked by peace, progress and prosperity.” Zelensky, in his message, said Kyiv hoped India would contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war.

India closely tracked the Alaska summit amid Trump’s threats of secondary sanctions over New Delhi’s continued Russian oil purchases. Trump has accused India of reselling Russian oil and indirectly funding Moscow’s war machine, imposing tariffs in response. India has pushed back, accusing the US and EU of double standards on sanctions and vowing to protect its national interests.

Ahead of the summit, Trump had set an August 8 deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions. After the talks, he reiterated that “the best way to end the horrific war” was a full peace agreement, not just a ceasefire. Trump and Zelensky are scheduled to meet in Washington on Monday, with the possibility of a trilateral summit with Putin.

Since the start of the invasion, Modi has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities and a return to dialogue, telling both Putin and Zelensky that “a solution cannot be found on the battlefield.” Though New Delhi has avoided directly condemning Moscow, officials say India has quietly passed messages between Russia and Ukraine.