A day after meeting Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump said his talks with Russia has seen "big progress", hinting at a possible ceasefire on the cards.
"BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. This comes as US envoy Steve Witkoff said there could be "robust and game-changing" security guarantees for Ukraine.
What could progress on Ukraine talks mean for India?
If a ceasefire deal is achieved between Russia and Ukraine with US mediation, Trump could rethink his tariff policy on India. He had imposed 50 per cent tariffs on New Delhi, claiming its oil trade with Moscow is "fuelling the war machine".
On Friday, Trump hinted that the US might not impose secondary tariffs on India and other countries importing Russian crude oil.
"Well, he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot…And if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it,” the US president said.
This comes as US officials expected to visit India later this month cancelled their trip, according to government sources. "US Trade team not coming to India for the next round of trade negotiations. The US team was scheduled to visit India on 25th August for the 6th round of negotiations," the government sources were quoted as saying by ANI.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set meet Trump in Washington on Monday and he will be accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Experts suggest that the European leaders are accompanying Zelenskyy to avoid a disastrous Oval Office showdown similar to the one in February, when the Ukrainian leader was shown the door by Trump.