The price of gold (XAU/USD) has decreased, currently trading at $3,178 on Friday. This has caused concerns among traders and in the markets. The recent talks between Ukraine and Russia seem to have fallen apart, with Russian President Vladimir Putin not attending and only sending lower-level diplomats. This has caused several world leaders to criticize Russia and threaten further sanctions. Meanwhile, the US Dollar (USD) is facing challenges in the markets, which would benefit XAU/USD. Mark Haefele, the chief investment officer for a Swiss bank, has noted that volatility in US risk assets and the dollar may lead international investors to diversify their assets with gold. This has made the outlook for gold uncertain, and it is no longer trending in one direction. The resistance level at $3,245 (April 1 high) is proving to be difficult to break. On the downside, if $3,199 (daily Pivot Point) is not held, the next support area to watch is around $3,160, with the April 3 high at $3,167 and intraday S1 support at $3,160, before reaching the 55-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $3,138. Ultimately, the direction of gold will be determined by the final catalyst in this volatile market. For now, keeping an eye on the $3,160 area will help assess the strength of the gold rally.