A newly released book, Regime Change, claims that US President Donald Trump dismissed a proposal suggesting Indian troops could help monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
According to authors Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, the discussion took place during a White House meeting in January 2025 focused on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Vice President JD Vance reportedly argued that peacekeepers from non-NATO countries would be less provocative to Moscow than troops from European alliance members.
Vance suggested India and Saudi Arabia as possible contributors to a ceasefire monitoring force. However, Trump allegedly rejected the idea of Indian involvement, reportedly saying that India would not be willing to bear the costs associated with such a mission.
The book also describes broader disagreements within the administration over Ukraine policy. Retired General Keith Kellogg presented a peace framework that included foreign peacekeeping forces, while Vance expressed concerns that NATO troops on Ukrainian soil could escalate tensions with Russia.
The account portrays an administration divided over how to end the war, with Trump reportedly favouring a strategy that avoided direct American military or financial commitments while pushing for a negotiated settlement between Moscow and Kyiv.