NEW DELHI: A high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday produced no ceasefire in Ukraine but shifted the diplomatic narrative toward a possible peace deal-- one that remains vague, contested, and fraught with uncertainty.
For India, caught in the crosshairs of the looming US penalty tariffs over Russian oil imports, the suspense now tilts slightly toward hope.
The nearly three-hour summit in Alaska, the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, ended with Trump calling for a direct peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow, bypassing the ceasefire route long advocated by Ukraine and its Western allies.
"It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war... is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, and not a mere Ceasefire," Trump said in a social media post after the meeting.
Calling Russia a "very big power" and Ukraine "not,” Trump urged Kyiv to "make a deal," suggesting that continued resistance might be futile. He said he would host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday, and if that went well, would schedule a follow-up meeting with Putin.
"Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved," he said.
After a long call with Trump, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready for "constructive cooperation" and supported the idea of a trilateral summit. But Moscow was non-committal. Putin made no mention of such a meeting, and his foreign policy aide later said it had not been discussed.
In a post-summit interview with Fox News, Trump indicated that land swaps and security guarantees were part of the informal talks.
"I think we’re pretty close to a deal... Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say no," he said.
India welcomed the summit terming the pursuit of peace by Putin and Trump as commendable.
"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. 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,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
For India, the lack of a definitive ceasefire or framework complicates matters. But it doesn’t close the door. Trump had earlier announced a 25% secondary tariff on Indian purchases of Russian oil, set to take effect on August 27, as part of efforts to isolate Moscow economically. But in remarks after the Alaska summit, Trump signaled that the measure might be delayed.
"Well, he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot And if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it," Trump told Fox News, implying that the tariff deadline could quietly lapse.
"Because of what happened today... I don’t have to think about that right now. I may have to think about it in 2–3 weeks,” he said.
The Indian government has so far refrained from commenting on the inconclusive summit outcome. But any delay or suspension of the penalty tariff would be seen as a relief in New Delhi, which has carefully balanced ties with both Washington and Moscow while continuing to buy discounted Russian crude.
"It’s still fingers crossed. Our Prime Minister had said this is not the era of war and we support the peace talks. But we are ready to deal with any eventuality in our national interest," said a source.
However, Trump’s additional claim that India had "already stopped buying Russian oil" raised eyebrows. New Delhi has made no such announcement and continues to defend its sovereign right to energy diversification.
Trump also brushed aside questions about similar penalties for China, saying, “I don’t have to think about that now.”
Despite the ambiguity, India’s diplomatic calculus may find temporary comfort in the shifting tone.
