In what comes as a breather for India, US President Donald Trump has said he is not immediately moving forward with secondary sanctions on Russia or countries trading with it, though he warned that the option remains open in the coming weeks.

Speaking to Fox News after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump described the summit as "10 out of 10," and said, "I may have to think about it (sanctions) in two or three weeks, but not right away." He added that implementing secondary sanctions at this point would be “devastating” for Russia.

Trump’s softer remarks marked a shift from his earlier hardline approach. Recently, he had imposed a 25% retaliatory tariff on Indian goods and followed it with an additional 25% duty—effectively doubling tariffs to 50%—over New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian crude. India and China remain the two biggest buyers of Russian oil, despite repeated US warnings.

Before the Alaska summit, Trump had claimed that his tariff pressure on India forced Russia to the negotiation table, as Moscow was losing a key energy customer. However, Indian officials clarified that oil imports from Russia remain unaffected by Washington’s threats.

The US President had earlier cautioned Russia of “severe consequences” unless Putin agreed to work towards ending the war in Ukraine, which has entered its fourth year.

“MAKE A DEAL,” TRUMP TELLS ZELENSKYY

Despite nearly three hours of talks in Alaska, Trump and Putin failed to secure a ceasefire. In his Fox News interview, Trump shifted focus to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging him to find common ground. "Make a deal," Trump said, stressing that European nations must also step in to push for peace.

Trump hinted at progress on humanitarian issues, revealing that a potential prisoner of war exchange had been discussed. “They showed me a list of thousands of prisoners who could be released,” he said.

While no breakthrough was achieved, Trump’s remarks suggest that Washington is temporarily easing its pressure, leaving room for negotiations in the weeks ahead.