New Delhi has welcomed the high-stakes Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling their initiative to pursue peace in Ukraine “highly commendable” and reiterating that dialogue remains the only credible way forward.

In a statement August 15, the Ministry of External Affairs 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. The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”

The Anchorage talks, which stretched nearly three hours on Friday, ended without a breakthrough deal to end or pause the war — Europe’s deadliest conflict since 1945, now in its fourth year. However, both leaders claimed progress.

Trump described the discussions as “very productive” and gave the summit a “10/10” rating, though he admitted “the most significant issue” remained unresolved. 

He hinted that responsibility now lay with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Now, it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done. The European nations also have to get involved a little — but it’s up to him.”

Putin, for his part, said the two leaders had reached an “understanding” and appealed to European powers not to derail what he termed “nascent progress.”

For India, the meeting brought some relief as Trump signaled he was not immediately considering secondary sanctions on Russia and its trade partners, though he warned he might “have to think about it in two or three weeks.”

Zelenskyy responded by signalling readiness for “constructive cooperation” and indicated that Moscow, through Trump, had conveyed a preference for a “comprehensive peace deal” rather than a temporary ceasefire, according to US media reports.

While the Alaska summit stopped short of a peace agreement, it has set the stage for further diplomatic manoeuvring, with India underscoring that only sustained dialogue — not escalation — can deliver a durable resolution to the war.