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.

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.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said President Trump’s desire to take Greenland has nothing to do with the Kremlin. “As for Greenland, this is a matter that concerns two specific states and has nothing to do with us,

The United States needs Greenland for international security peace, President Donald Trump said on Friday, adding that there were Chinese and Russian ships in the area that Washington could not leave to Denmark or anyone else to "take care of.

But from the Kremlin leader there was no criticism of his US counterpart. And that's telling, as the White House and the Kremlin try to rebuild relations. "In short, America's plans in relation to Greenland are serious,