Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his Independence Day greetings, calling the exchange a reflection of their shared commitment to stronger ties.
“Thank you President Zelenskyy for your warm greetings. I deeply value the joint commitment to forging even closer ties between India and Ukraine. We earnestly wish our friends in Ukraine a future marked by peace, progress and prosperity,” Modi posted.
Zelenskyy had earlier extended his wishes to the people of India, President Droupadi Murmu and Modi on the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day. Writing on X, he said, “Congratulations to the people of India, President @rashtrapatibhvn, and Prime Minister @narendramodi on the Independence Day! This week we had a good, candid conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi when I had an opportunity to personally convey my best wishes on this occasion.”
Shared values and call for Peace
Zelenskyy emphasised the values binding both nations. He said India and Ukraine had long stood for “freedom, dignity, peace, and development.”
Looking beyond greetings, he expressed hope that India would take part in global efforts to end the conflict. “We hope that India will contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war, so that our freedom and sovereignty are truly secure.”
The Ukrainian President also pointed towards future cooperation. “I am confident that the potential for mutually beneficial Ukraine-India cooperation lies ahead in science, technology, trade, and culture. Wishing peace and prosperity,” he added.
Alaska Summit and Trump’s position
The exchange of greetings came just before the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting that Zelenskyy was not invited to.
During the discussions, Trump addressed the question of territorial swaps between Ukraine and Russia. “They will be discussed, but I will let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they will make a proper decision. But I am not here to negotiate for Ukraine; I am here to get them to a table. And I think you have two sides. Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I weren’t the President, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. But he is not going to do it,” Trump said.
Though both leaders described the talks positively, no ceasefire was agreed. Trump called the talks “extremely productive,” noting that “many points were agreed to” but underlining that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Putin, for his part, said they had reached an “understanding” and suggested it could pave the way for peace.
India welcomes dialogue
India welcomed the summit, describing it as an important step in seeking peace. 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.”
In its statement, the ministry added, “The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”
Push for peace agreement over ceasefire
Following the Alaska meeting, Trump said the focus should be on a lasting settlement rather than temporary pauses in fighting.
On Truth Social, he wrote, “A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO. It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
He added that Zelenskyy was due to visit Washington. “President Zelenskyy will be coming to DC, the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Zelenskyy supports trilateral talks
Zelenskyy responded positively to Trump’s idea of a trilateral format that would include Ukraine, the United States and Russia. On X, he said, “We support President Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”
He also gave details of his recent conversation with Trump. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security. We continue to coordinate our positions with all partners. I thank everyone who is helping.”
Despite the upbeat tone, the Alaska talks ended without concrete steps. Putin claimed the invasion of Ukraine would not have happened had Trump been President earlier, while both leaders signalled that negotiations remained open.
“Thank you President Zelenskyy for your warm greetings. I deeply value the joint commitment to forging even closer ties between India and Ukraine. We earnestly wish our friends in Ukraine a future marked by peace, progress and prosperity,” Modi posted.
PM Narendra Modi posts, "Thank you President Zelenskyy for your warm greetings. I deeply value the joint commitment to forging even closer ties between India and Ukraine. We earnestly wish our friends in Ukraine a future marked by peace, progress and prosperity." pic.twitter.com/4RPD9K8rrh
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 16, 2025
Zelenskyy had earlier extended his wishes to the people of India, President Droupadi Murmu and Modi on the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day. Writing on X, he said, “Congratulations to the people of India, President @rashtrapatibhvn, and Prime Minister @narendramodi on the Independence Day! This week we had a good, candid conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi when I had an opportunity to personally convey my best wishes on this occasion.”
Shared values and call for Peace
Zelenskyy emphasised the values binding both nations. He said India and Ukraine had long stood for “freedom, dignity, peace, and development.”
Looking beyond greetings, he expressed hope that India would take part in global efforts to end the conflict. “We hope that India will contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war, so that our freedom and sovereignty are truly secure.”
The Ukrainian President also pointed towards future cooperation. “I am confident that the potential for mutually beneficial Ukraine-India cooperation lies ahead in science, technology, trade, and culture. Wishing peace and prosperity,” he added.
Alaska Summit and Trump’s position
The exchange of greetings came just before the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting that Zelenskyy was not invited to.
During the discussions, Trump addressed the question of territorial swaps between Ukraine and Russia. “They will be discussed, but I will let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they will make a proper decision. But I am not here to negotiate for Ukraine; I am here to get them to a table. And I think you have two sides. Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I weren’t the President, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. But he is not going to do it,” Trump said.
Though both leaders described the talks positively, no ceasefire was agreed. Trump called the talks “extremely productive,” noting that “many points were agreed to” but underlining that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Putin, for his part, said they had reached an “understanding” and suggested it could pave the way for peace.
India welcomes dialogue
India welcomed the summit, describing it as an important step in seeking peace. 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.”
In its statement, the ministry added, “The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”
Push for peace agreement over ceasefire
Following the Alaska meeting, Trump said the focus should be on a lasting settlement rather than temporary pauses in fighting.
On Truth Social, he wrote, “A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO. It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
He added that Zelenskyy was due to visit Washington. “President Zelenskyy will be coming to DC, the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Zelenskyy supports trilateral talks
Zelenskyy responded positively to Trump’s idea of a trilateral format that would include Ukraine, the United States and Russia. On X, he said, “We support President Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”
He also gave details of his recent conversation with Trump. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security. We continue to coordinate our positions with all partners. I thank everyone who is helping.”
Despite the upbeat tone, the Alaska talks ended without concrete steps. Putin claimed the invasion of Ukraine would not have happened had Trump been President earlier, while both leaders signalled that negotiations remained open.
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