Trump-Putin Meeting / Trump-Putin talks welcomed, India in favour of peace in Ukraine

Trump-Putin Meeting: India has welcomed the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The meeting was the first US-Russia summit since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, "India welcomes the Putin-Trump talks. Their leadership towards peace is highly commendable. The way forward is only through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine."

PM Modi's peace message

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a message on social media in response to wishes extended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. He wrote, "We attach great importance to the joint commitment to building even closer ties between India and Ukraine. We wish our friends in Ukraine a future full of peace, progress and prosperity." Zelensky, in his message, had appealed to India to contribute to efforts to end the war, so that Ukraine's independence and sovereignty are protected.

Trump-Putin meeting: Key points

In the nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska, the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine, in which more than one million people have been killed or injured so far. Trump said that the two sides agreed on "many points", but there was no full agreement on some issues. Putin spoke of an understanding that could help achieve the goal of peace and security in Ukraine. However, the two leaders did not reveal concrete steps to end the war.

India's strategic position

India kept a close eye on this summit, especially because Trump threatened to impose secondary sanctions on India due to its purchase of oil from Russia. Recently, the Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on India for purchasing Russian energy products, in response to which India also imposed similar tariffs on US goods. Trump argues that India is profiting by selling Russian oil in the open market, thereby funding Russia's war machine. India responded by accusing the US and the EU of adopting double standards in sanctions and reiterating its commitment to protect its national interests.

India's role for peace

Prime Minister Modi has maintained regular contact with the leaders of both countries, Putin and Zelensky, since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. He visited both countries last year and emphasized on dialogue for a peaceful solution. Modi made it clear that "negotiations cannot succeed under the cover of guns and solutions cannot be found on the battlefield." Indian officials said New Delhi has played the role of mediator in exchanging messages between Moscow and Kiev, although India has refrained from public condemnation of Russia's actions.

Future prospects

Trump and Zelensky have announced that they will meet in Washington on Monday, which may be followed by a trilateral meeting with Putin. Zelenskyy supported the proposal, saying "Ukraine is fully prepared to establish peace." India welcomed the possibility of this trilateral meeting and reiterated its readiness to play a constructive role in the peace talks.