Ukraine Ready to Leave NATO, Is Peace with Russia Really Near?
Gold prices (XAU/USD) rose slightly as markets digested surprising news from the European diplomatic arena. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is reportedly ready to abandon Ukraine's long-held ambition to join NATO in an effort to end the war with Russia. This news comes amid intense negotiations with US envoys in Berlin.
According to a Reuters report, Zelenskiy held approximately five hours of talks with the American delegation on Sunday in Berlin, and negotiations are scheduled to continue on Monday. This move marks a major shift for Ukraine, which has long viewed NATO membership as a primary shield against Russian aggression and even incorporated that ambition into its constitution.
The decision to abandon NATO membership aligns with one of Russia's primary wartime objectives, preventing Ukraine from joining the Western military alliance. However, Kyiv has so far refused to cede territory to Moscow, so the terms of a peace agreement are far from final. Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, said "a lot of progress has been made," signaling that at least some positive movement is taking place at the negotiating table.
However, many believe the peace process remains fragile. On the one hand, Russia has secured a significant concession regarding NATO; on the other, the issue of territorial boundaries, Ukraine's long-term security, and political guarantees from the West remain stumbling blocks. Global markets view this development as a step forward, but not yet strong enough to be considered a definitive turning point.
Amid this uncertainty, gold actually strengthened slightly, around 0.16%, to $4,306 per ounce. This movement suggests that despite renewed hope for peace, investors are still choosing to hold some funds in safe-haven assets. As long as there is no clear and final peace agreement, gold has the potential to continue to draw support from geopolitical concerns and uncertainty about the direction of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (asd)
Source: Newsmkaer.id
