Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 16: India has officially welcomed the high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held in Alaska, calling their leadership in pursuit of peace “highly commendable” and emphasizing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said:

“India welcomes the Summit meeting in Alaska… 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 Alaska summit, which took place at the Arctic Warrior Convention Centre, brought together top-level officials including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Both Trump and Putin signaled progress after three hours of talks, though no immediate ceasefire was announced.

“It’s not a done deal at all. And Ukraine has to agree. President Zelensky has to agree,” Trump told Fox News following the meeting.

India, which has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution, has previously supported diplomatic overtures on the conflict. On August 9, New Delhi had welcomed the planned summit, describing it as a step that “holds the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.”

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s now-familiar message — “This is not an era of war” — the MEA reiterated India’s readiness to support peace efforts, underscoring its position as a diplomatic bridge between East and West.

Ahead of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin had briefed PM Modi during a phone call on August 8. According to a Kremlin readout, the leaders discussed “key bilateral issues” and India’s continued stance on settling the Ukraine crisis through political and diplomatic means.

As the world watches for the next steps in resolving one of the most consequential conflicts in recent history, India’s support for the summit signals its ongoing commitment to multilateral diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution.