The Kremlin has a deliberate strategy to test how far US President Donald Trump is willing to go in pressing Europe to ease sanctions, according to people familiar with the situation.

The split between Europe and the United States over how to end the war is exposing a new, disorienting reality for an alliance in trouble.

Ukraine’s European allies say now is not the time for lifting sanctions on Russia, in a clear message to the Trump administration as Moscow pushes Washington for concessions ahead of signing a US brokered deal on ending the fighting in the Black Sea.