On August 9, India expressed its approval of the upcoming summit between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is set to occur in Alaska on August 15. ‘India welcomes the agreement reached between the United States and the Russian Federation for a meeting in Alaska on August 15, 2025. This summit has the potential to conclude the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and pave the way for peace. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated on multiple occasions, ‘This is not an era of war’,’ stated a release from the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The MEA statement indicated that New Delhi supports the forthcoming summit and is ‘prepared’ to assist in these endeavors. Earlier on August 9, Trump revealed plans for a summit with Russia, a meeting that could also influence the future of the 25 percent punitive tariff imposed on India by Washington for purchasing Russian oil.
Following three days of rapid developments, Trump announced on Truth Social on August 8, ‘The highly anticipated meeting between myself and Putin will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska.’‘Further details to follow,’ he added. This was a swift change of course, as Trump had expressed on August 7 that he was ‘very disappointed’ with Putin, despite mentioning progress in their discussions. In preparation for the summit, Putin contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the evening of August 8 to update him on the discussions he had with the US President regarding Ukraine. The Kremlin Press Office’s summary of their conversation stated, ‘In light of the special privileged partnership between Russia and India, Vladimir Putin shared the key outcomes of his meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steven Witkoff.’ India’s External Affairs Ministry remarked, ‘While expressing gratitude to President Putin for his comprehensive assessment, the Prime Minister reiterated India’s steadfast position advocating for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.’
