In a notable shift following a high-stakes summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump has softened his tone on sanctions, offering temporary relief to countries trading with Russia — including India.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump rated the meeting with Putin a “10 out of 10,” calling it a success despite no agreement being reached on a Ukraine ceasefire.
“I may have to think about it [secondary sanctions] in two or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that immediately,” Trump said. Just days earlier, the President had taken a far more aggressive stance, threatening severe penalties on nations continuing to do business with Moscow, particularly over Russian oil.
“If I did secondary sanctions now, that would be devastating for them,” he said, without specifying which countries might be targeted. India and China are the two largest buyers of Russian oil.
Trump’s remarks come as a partial reprieve for India, which has been under growing U.S. pressure for its continued energy ties with Russia. The U.S. had recently slapped a 25% retaliatory tariff on Indian goods, doubling the total duty to 50% following India’s refusal to curb oil imports from Moscow.
The President had previously claimed that the economic pressure on India played a role in pushing Moscow toward the negotiating table. “Russia was losing its second-largest customer,” Trump had said, referring to India.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, New Delhi has maintained there has been no pause in Russian oil imports.
No Ukraine Ceasefire, But Possible POW Deal
While the Alaska summit failed to yield a breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine — now entering its fourth year — Trump shifted responsibility to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Make a deal,” Trump said bluntly in the interview, urging Kyiv to work with European nations to reach a peace settlement.
Trump did hint at the possibility of a future prisoner exchange. “I have a book of thousands of people that they presented me with today, thousands of prisoners, who will get released,” he said, offering no further details.
The Alaska talks, which lasted nearly three hours, mark a key moment in Trump’s evolving approach to the Ukraine conflict and U.S. foreign policy. While tensions remain high, the softened tone may signal a brief diplomatic opening — or simply a pause before the next round of geopolitical brinkmanship.
