Nearly ten months after the war in Ukraine began, the Joe Biden administration is stepping up diplomatic efforts to ensure that the transatlantic alliance survives a harsh European winter, Reuters reports.

In recent weeks, the administration has struggled to adjust its inflation law to appease European governments, whose support it needs for Ukraine, and has secured an agreement with G7 countries to cap prices on Russian oil.

President Joe Biden also briefly softened his staunch opposition to negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling to allies impatient to end the conflict through negotiations.

The war in Ukraine is also the backdrop for the U.S.-Africa summit, which began the day before and brought together leaders from 49 African countries, many of whom expressed frustration at the economic price to pay for the war.

The coalition of countries opposing Russia, from NATO members to U.S. allies such as Japan and Australia, has proved resilient, contrary to predictions that rising energy prices could split it. But maintaining this united front requires diplomacy and compromise, U.S. diplomats and officials say, and more will likely be needed as the European winter tests Ukraine's public support.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, predicted that allies will remain united but acknowledged that challenges lie ahead. 

U.S. and European officials met last week in Washington for trade talks on the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden's major legislative achievement in 2022. The $430 billion law has drawn the ire of European allies, who say it unfairly subsidizes U.S. industry at Europe's expense.

The Democratic Party has little desire to change the law. But in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron before trade talks, Biden said the bill was not meant to exclude partners who cooperate with the United States, and adjustments were possible.

The administration has said little about what those changes might be, but in his speech, Biden suggested a broader interpretation of the term free trade partner to exempt the EU from some of the law's restrictions.

While differences remain to be resolved, the willingness to compromise on such a key issue shows that the United States and its European allies recognize the need to soften differences for the sake of providing Ukraine with Western arms and other support.

There have been successes. These include a recent agreement by a G7 coalition to cap the price of Russian offshore crude at $60 a barrel, a compromise reached after months of discussions aimed at bridging differences between countries like Poland, which wanted the cap much lower, and others worried about rising energy prices.

The U.S. also telegraphed a change in its position on negotiations with Russia. After meetings with Macron, who favored direct talks with Putin, Biden told a news conference that he would be willing to talk to Mr. Putin if he was interested in finding a way to end the war, adding that Putin has not yet done so.

The White House quickly retracted comments, clarifying that it did not intend to talk to Mr. Putin because negotiations would not yet be fruitful, and that there would be no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Biden's remarks signaled a U.S. willingness to go along with France on the issue of negotiations with Russia without alienating Ukraine and Eastern European allies, who insist that Russia must be defeated before any negotiations can begin.

Biden's remarks also resonated with countries that feel caught in the middle of the standoff between the United States and Russia and seek a negotiated end to the conflict.

Problems remain, including a dispute between Hungary and Ukraine that has caused Hungary to block Ukraine's participation in some NATO meetings. And as winter arrives and energy prices rise, voices calling for an end to the war as soon as possible will grow louder.