On [specific date], the United Nations Security Council adopted a draft resolution proposed by the United States regarding the Ukraine issue, calling for a swift end to the conflict and further urging lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. Recently, the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and other parties have been deeply engaged in strategic maneuvers over the Russia-Ukraine issue, leading to rapid changes in the situation. As Trump vigorously advances his solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, direct contacts between the U.S. and Russia have commenced, resulting in a significant shift in the U.S. stance toward Ukraine. The situation appears increasingly unfavorable for Ukraine and Europe.

In response, a netizen summed it up vividly: the land belongs to Russia, the resources belong to the U.S., the debt belongs to the EU, and the glory belongs to Ukraine.

United States: Shifting from "Firm Support for Ukraine" to "Transactional Mediation." After taking office, Trump abandoned the Biden administration's stance of "firm support for Ukraine," instead using Ukraine as a bargaining chip to extract gains from conflict mediation. Shortly after assuming office, Trump extended an "olive branch" to Russia on social media, signaling an intention to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

On [date], Trump "unexpectedly" engaged in a "top-level call" with Putin, breaking the three-year diplomatic deadlock between the U.S. and Russia while taking concrete steps to advance the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine issue. Subsequently, the U.S. government's special envoy for Russia-Ukraine affairs, Kellogg, stated during the Munich Security Conference that European countries would not be included among the participants in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, hinting that the Trump administration might disregard European interests during the negotiations.

On [specific date], Russia and the United States resumed direct contact after a nearly two-year hiatus, sending high-level negotiators to meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they reached four key agreements. The separate talks between Russia and the U.S. sparked strong dissatisfaction from Ukraine and Europe, with Zelensky even publicly "speaking ill of the U.S. President." Seizing the opportunity, Trump escalated pressure on Ukraine, harshly criticizing Zelensky as the "root cause" of the entire conflict and accusing him of deceiving the U.S. into spending billions of dollars on a war that was unwinnable and unnecessary from the start.

On [specific date not provided], representatives from the United States and Russia held talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, Trump presented the U.S.'s "exorbitant bill," demanding that Ukraine "repay" billions of dollars, with intentions to control not only critical mineral resources like rare earths but also "oil, natural gas, ports, and other infrastructure."

On [month and day], U.S. Treasury Secretary Besant stated that Ukraine is ready to reach a strong and truly useful agreement with the U.S. President on investment and security issues, and mentioned that sanctions against Russia might be adjusted to facilitate a deal related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A day later, Trump expressed his belief that there is an opportunity to achieve a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. White House Press Secretary Levitt added that U.S. President Trump and his team are focused on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict through continued negotiations, expressing confidence that the talks could be concluded within the week.

On [date], officials from the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that since Trump took office, a new large-scale military aid package for Ukraine has been put on hold, replaced by "more targeted support." On the same day, Ukrainian and U.S. teams entered the final stages of negotiations on a mineral resources agreement. This also means that Trump's proposal to demand approximately $[amount] billion worth of resource ownership from Ukraine is about to materialize into concrete outcomes.

Overall, Trump's approach to resolving the Russia-Ukraine issue still utilized his most adept "art of the deal." He first proposed an unacceptable plan, then bargained with the other party, and finally "reluctantly conceded" to reach a consensus, resulting in an outcome favorable to himself.

Russia: Addressing Both the Symptoms and the Root Cause. For Russia, it is not only about achieving a ceasefire but also about resolving the fundamental issue of Western strategic containment. On [specific date], during a phone call with Trump, Putin expressed willingness to reach an agreement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

On [date], Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian President, stated that Putin has repeatedly expressed his willingness to negotiate with Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, if necessary. Subsequently, Peskov mentioned that Russia and the U.S. have decided to resume dialogue on all relevant issues concerning the conflict in Ukraine.

On the day of the month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov stated that Russia and the United States will hold another round of talks on the Ukrainian issue in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and revealed that preparations for a meeting between the heads of state of Russia and the United States have already begun.

On [date], Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is willing to negotiate with Ukraine and Europe, but military operations will only cease after Russia achieves satisfactory results. He reiterated that Ukraine’s non-accession to NATO is a "prerequisite" for negotiations. Subsequently, Lavrov outlined Russia’s ceasefire conditions: the surrender of Ukrainian forces, Kyiv’s full or partial relinquishment of five regions, Ukraine declaring it will not join NATO, and the establishment of a new regime advocating "denazification."

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. For Russia, the primary considerations are to prevent the current ceasefire agreement from becoming a second Minsk agreement, forcing Ukraine to accept reality, while also halting NATO's eastward expansion to maintain a strategic buffer between Russia and NATO, especially when further significant gains on the battlefield are unattainable.

Ukraine: The situation is extremely unfavorable, accelerating its descent into being a "pawn to be sacrificed." After the Trump administration took office, the situation facing Ukraine became even more perilous. Militarily, deprived of large-scale military aid from the United States, Ukraine has had to rely more on its own strength to resist Russia. Faced with the fierce offensive of Russian forces, Ukrainian troops have lost several strategic strongholds in regions such as Donetsk, leaving Ukraine with increasingly limited bargaining chips.

On [specific date], Zelensky proposed ceasefire conditions, stating that for Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire agreement with Russia, it would require at least ten thousand soldiers from European countries to form a special task force to act as peacekeepers to ensure Ukraine's security.

Politically, facing joint pressure from the United States and Russia, Zelensky had no choice but to compromise. On a certain date, Zelensky stated that he would be willing to resign from the presidency immediately if it could secure Ukraine's NATO membership or achieve peace, and if the Ukrainian people truly needed him to step down.

On [specific date], Zelenskyy made a rare admission in an internal speech that "Ukraine's survival depends on cooperation with the United States," and stated he would "make every effort to secure an agreement favorable to Ukraine." Economically, Ukraine has been forced to accept a U.S. proposal of "resources for security," granting mining rights and access to infrastructure such as ports to the U.S. in exchange for security guarantees. With external aid gradually dwindling, the three-year war has indeed left Ukraine with little more than "glory."

Europe: Mercilessly Excluded, Left to Sit at the 'Kids' Table' For Europe, Trump's shift in stance is undoubtedly a heavy blow. Over the past three years, the European Union has been a key supporter of Ukraine. However, judging from the U.S.-Russia talks, Europe has clearly been left out of the decision-making circle.

After direct contact between the U.S. and Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly stated that "Europe cannot accept decisions about Ukraine's future being made without its participation," and called for the EU to quickly coordinate its stance. On a recent date, Macron visited the U.S. and met with Trump in an attempt to persuade him to consider Europe's and Ukraine's security concerns regarding the peace issue in Ukraine.

French President Macron. Additionally, British Prime Minister Starmer will also visit the United States this week to discuss the Ukraine issue with Trump. However, in the face of Trump's tough stance and the private dealings between the U.S. and Russia, Europe's voice appears increasingly feeble.

Under Trump's "deal-making strategy," the prospect of a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire is accelerating, but this process is bound to leave some pleased and others disappointed... The images in the article are sourced from the internet.