Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Could Reshape Russia-Ukraine War and Ease India-US Trade Tensions

In a diplomatic event watched by the world, US President Donald Trump will host Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit that could alter the course of the Russia-Ukraine war and redefine global power dynamics.

While the meeting is primarily seen as a possible turning point for Washington-Moscow relations, India is also keeping a close eye on developments. The talks come amid rising trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington after Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, accusing India of helping Moscow fund its war through continued purchases of Russian crude oil. India has firmly rejected the charge, calling the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” and pointing to Western hypocrisy, noting that the US and Europe also maintain trade ties with Russia.

For Trump, the summit is a chance to project himself as a master negotiator capable of ending a war that has raged for over two years. He has repeatedly claimed he could secure peace “very quickly” if given the chance. For Putin, it offers an opportunity to cement Russia’s territorial gains, block Ukraine’s NATO membership, and pull Kyiv back into Moscow’s sphere of influence.

However, the absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the talks has raised concerns among Western allies, who insist on the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” A breakthrough remains uncertain, with both Russia and Ukraine holding firm on their demands. Putin has refused to consider even a temporary ceasefire unless Ukraine halts mobilisation and Western nations stop supplying arms—conditions rejected by Kyiv and its supporters.

Trump has hinted that a second round of talks involving Zelenskyy could take place before he leaves Alaska, though Russia has not yet agreed. Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Trump expressed doubt about an “immediate ceasefire” but stressed his ambition for a “broad peace agreement.”

The India angle adds another layer to the summit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has backed New Delhi’s position, saying, “Sovereign countries should have and do have the right to choose their own trading partners.” In an interesting twist, Trump suggested in a recent interview that the additional tariffs on India might have played a role in getting Putin to agree to the Alaska meeting—a hint that the trade row could become part of the broader negotiations.