India welcomes Trump-Putin’s Alaska talks, says ‘the way forward can only be…’
India has welcomed the talks between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday that did not see an immediate ceasefire but paved way for a possible end to the war in Ukraine launched by Moscow.
“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,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The MEA said India ‘appreciates’ the progress made during the Trump-Putin talks, urging diplomacy and dialogue to end the Russia-Ukraine war that has been going on for over three years.
“India appreciates the progress made in the Summit. The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” it said.
Trump-Putin talks in Alaska
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at a military airbase in Alaska’s Anchorage on Friday to discuss the Ukraine war but several hours of talks failed to bring a ceasefire.
Trump said that the only way to stop the war in Ukraine is to sign a peace deal rather than a ‘mere’ ceasefire, which will not solve the problem.
He confirmed that he invited Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Monday and if all went well, a possible trilateral meeting between the countries is in horizon.
Why does India care about Trump-Putin talks?
While the Trump-Putin talks holds a global significance given the nature of the war in Ukraine, India has been closely watching the development given the tariff implication on it over its purchase of Russian oil.
Donald Trump had last month doubled India’s tariffs to 50 per cent as penalty for purchasing Russian oil, and a potential peace deal would mean that the tariffs are reversed for New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to Zelensky around the countries’ bilateral cooperation and the overall diplomatic situation. The Ukrainian President revealed that PM Modi and he agreed to meet personally on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September and “to work on an exchange of visits”.
PM Narendra Modi, during his conversation with Zelensky, also discussed the sanctions on Russia, including limiting exports of Russian energy, the Ukrainian leader said.
