As the Trump administration works toward a halt in the fighting, many experts fear that Ukraine will be forced to accept a ceasefire deal that will only give Russian forces a badly needed breather.

Is the US planning to negotiate exclusively with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine? Have the EU and Ukraine been sidelined? Donald Trump's bilateral talk with Vladimir Putin has made transatlantic partners uneasy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Ukraine would not be excluded from negotiations to end the war, but success would depend on raising the level of trust between Moscow and Washington.