Putin briefs Modi on Alaska Summit with Trump; talks focus on Ukraine conflict

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to share details of his recent summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, with both leaders agreeing on the importance of pursuing a long-term resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

This was the second conversation between Modi and Putin in the past 10 days. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Modi reiterated India’s consistent stance that the ongoing conflict must be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy.” The office added that the two leaders also reviewed aspects of bilateral cooperation under their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.

In a post on social media, Modi said, “Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska. India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. I look forward to our continued exchanges in the days to come.”

The Kremlin, in its readout, confirmed that Putin briefed Modi on the “key outcomes” of his discussions with Trump. It said the two leaders exchanged views on “prospects of a long-term settlement of the Ukrainian crisis” and agreed to maintain contact on this matter as well as on other international issues.

The Putin-Trump summit, held in Alaska on Friday, lasted nearly three hours but ended without a ceasefire announcement. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Russia and the United States since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

The timing of Putin’s call to Modi was significant, coming just hours before Trump’s scheduled meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. The upcoming discussions are expected to shape the Western approach towards Ukraine in the coming months.

The summit also came against the backdrop of strains in India-US ties. President Trump recently imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil. White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro, in an article published in the Financial Times, accused India of undermining global sanctions by buying Russian oil at lower rates.

Despite these tensions, India has maintained its position that it will act in accordance with its national interests while continuing to advocate peace. In its response to the Alaska meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday welcomed the initiative of Putin and Trump. The MEA said, “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.”

Modi has consistently underlined India’s position that the conflict cannot be resolved militarily. During his visit to Moscow in July last year, he told Putin that “solutions do not emerge from the battlefield” and that peace cannot be achieved “in the midst of bombs and bullets.” A month later, during a visit to Kyiv, Modi conveyed a similar message to Zelenskyy, urging both Russia and Ukraine to engage directly without delay.