In a move that marks a major shift in US foreign policy, the Trump administration has announced it will step back from its role as mediator in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This new stance comes just as Washington finalised a long-awaited minerals deal with Kyiv, an agreement that had previously stalled over accusations of exploitation.

Advertisment

The contrast between these two developments prompts the question: Is the US helping Ukraine secure peace, or simply cashing out?

“This is not our war”

Vice President JD Vance laid the groundwork for the policy shift on Wednesday, telling Fox News the war “is not going to end any time soon.”

Advertisment

“This is going to be up to the Russians and Ukrainians now that each side knows what the other's terms for peace are,” he said. “It's going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict,” he added.

Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt

His words came a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “This is not our war.”

Advertisment

Trump’s stance was equally clear. On April 18, he told reporters, “If one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: ‘You're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,’ and we're just going to take a pass.”

A “historic” minerals deal, or a royal flush?

Just before the US pulled back from its mediator role, it signed a minerals agreement with Ukraine, a deal that had once included highly controversial terms. Earlier drafts gave the US veto power over future contracts and exclusive rights to key natural resources.

But in the final version signed on April 30, Ukraine keeps control over its resources. The US now has preferential, not exclusive, rights in extraction projects.

Watch: Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow views minerals deal a direct challenge to its influence

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, hailed the agreement as “historic,” calling it proof that the president is still the “dealmaker in chief” and committed to “securing a lasting peace” in the region.

But the timing of the deal, coinciding with the US pulling back from peace talks is sure to raise eyebrows.

Stalled ceasefire efforts and rising tensions

The US had been pushing hard earlier this year to broker a 30-day ceasefire, alongside other temporary truces. These were aimed at protecting civilian infrastructure, particularly during harsh winter months.

Also read: 'Putin doesn’t want to stop the war': Trump says Russia needs to be 'dealt with differently' after meeting with Zelensky

But Russia refused to engage. On April 24, it launched a massive barrage of 215 missiles and drones, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring 87 in Kyiv.

Trump reacted by calling the attacks “not necessary” and “very bad timing,” before appealing directly to Vladimir Putin with the words, “Vladimir, Stop!”

Zelensky’s hand: Royal flush or last good card?

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who led talks on the minerals deal, told US media the agreement strengthens Ukraine’s position in any future negotiations with Russia.

Trump had previously told Zelenskyy during a tense Oval Office exchange that he didn’t “have the cards” in the peace talks. The minerals deal, some argue, may not change that.

“President Trump has now dealt him the royal flush,” Bessent said of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Now we can take these cards and go and show the Russian leadership that there is no daylight between the Ukrainian people and the American people between our goals,” he added.

But one should ask, has Ukraine gained leverage, or simply lost its final set of bargaining chips?

A new phase, or a missed opportunity?

Tammy Bruce, speaking for the State Department, confirmed the shift in US posture on May 1.

“We are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings,” she said. “That is now between the two parties… Now is the time they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end,” she added.

Also read: 'Ukraine should follow this example': Russia's Putin announces surprise three-day ceasefire: Did Trump effect finally work?

Whether this hands-off approach will lead to peace or prolong the war remains uncertain.