A Major Turning Point in the US-Russia-Ukraine Situation! US President Trump publicly urged Russia on Sunday (April 27th) to cease military action against Ukraine, while Secretary of State Rubio sent a tough signal: If peace talks remain deadlocked, the United States may abandon mediation. This global three-way game is heating up due to territorial disputes and alliances.

Trump Pressures Russia, Zelensky's Attitude Becomes Key

Donald Trump bluntly expressed his "disappointment" at Russia's continuous attacks in New Jersey and revealed that his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican had "gone smoothly," stating that the latter "understands the situation and is willing to reach an agreement."

It is noteworthy that this was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since their public dispute at the White House in February. After the meeting, Trump blasted Vladimir Putin on social media, condemning the Russian military's attacks on civilian areas as "unjustifiable."

Rubio Draws a Red Line: U.S. Patience is Limited

Secretary of State Rubio made it clear during an NBC program that "if there is no substantial progress in negotiations, the United States will not invest resources indefinitely." These words were seen as an ultimatum to both Russia and Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, however, insisted in a CBS interview that the Russian military was only striking military targets and denied targeting civilians, creating a sharp confrontation between the two sides' statements.

Game of Proposals Among the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine

U.S. Proposal: Recognizing Russia's sovereignty over Crimea and acquiescing to its control over some parts of Ukraine was publicly opposed by German Defense Minister Pistorius, who said it was "too much of a concession."

European Proposal: Advocating for a ceasefire before territorial negotiations, which aligns with Ukraine's position. The rare strategic divergence between U.S. and European allies has complicated the situation further.

‌Conclusion‌

Although U.S. National Security Advisor Waltz said Trump is still determined to push forward peace talks, the three parties—the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine—are not backing down on core issues, and European allies have directly rejected the U.S. proposal. This century-long game involving geopolitics, energy interests, and alliance relations is heading towards a more dangerous crossroads. With Rubio threatening to withdraw mediation, the next two weeks may become a critical window period determining the direction of the war.

Trump's public criticism of Russia and Rubio's warning of potential withdrawal from mediation indicate that U.S.-Russia relations remain highly tense. If the conflict escalates, market risk aversion will increase, and gold, as a traditional safe-haven asset, may receive support. If the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine make progress in negotiations, market risk appetite will rebound, potentially weakening gold's safe-haven demand and leading to a short-term correction in gold prices. However, in the medium to long term, the global trend of de-dollarization and central banks' continuous gold purchases will continue to support gold prices, limiting the extent of any correction.