Kyiv: Five thousand miles from Alaska, and feeling left out, Ukrainians were bracing themselves for the outcome of negotiations to which they were not invited. In Ukraine, where polls show 95% population distrusts Putin, there is a uneasy mix of scepticism about the talks and fatigue with the war. They are fearful Trump could sell Kyiv out in his bid for a quick deal with Moscow.

“This question touches me directly,” said Tetyana Besso­nova, 30, from Pokrovsk, one of the eastern cities whose f­uture is in question if land we­re surrendered to Russia. "My hometown is on the line of fi­re. If active fighting stops, would I be able to return?” she said. Tetiana Harkavenko, 65, a  cleaner, predicted the fighting would rage. “Nothing good will happen there, as war is war, it will not end. The territories - we’re not going to give anything to anyone.”