Putin-Modi Talks: Insights from Alaska Meeting Shared

PM Modi Expresses Gratitude as Putin Shares Alaska Talks, Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Ukraine War

Following his meeting with Donald Trump in Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the outcome of the talks. The news came to light via a post on X from PM Modi, who thanked his “friend, President Putin” for sharing insights. 

His tweet also reiterated India's consistent position on the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that the country has always called for a “peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard."

Alaska Summit Signals Thaw in US-Russia Relations?

The Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska, which was supposed to last at least seven hours, ended in less than three hours. Both Trump and Putin shared their views with journalists after the meeting. While talking about Ukraine, the Russian President said that they want to end the war as soon as possible, but the “primary causes” of the conflict must be addressed first to reach an agreement.

Besides this, Putin alerted Ukraine and the EU against tossing a “wrench in the works” and warned against employing “backroom dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the nascent progress,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

Trump praised this long-awaited talk, calling it an “extremely productive meeting” in which many points were agreed to. He also said there is a “very good chance of getting there” while referring to a ceasefire.

He went on further and cautioned that it’s “ultimately up to them” when talking about Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President. He concluded by remarking, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

India-US Ties Strained by Tariffs

While the relationship between the US and Russia is getting better, the India-US relationship is under tremendous pressure. The Trump government has increased tariffs on Indian goods to 50% from the previous 25%. 

The US accounted for this tariff change because of India’s re-export and refining of Russian crude oil. They said that this act of India has financed the war effort of Moscow. In response to this policy change, India said it is unfair and will continue to rely on multiple sources, adhering to its strategic autonomy policy.

Overall, Putin's visit to Alaska is a big move that could signal that the relationship between the US and Russia is growing stronger. Putin also shared insights from the meeting with PM Modi. Modi thanked the Russian President for this kind gesture and called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine war. On the other hand, the Trump administration raised tariffs on New Delhi from 25% to 50%.