French President Emmanuel Macron has privately warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that there is a “chance that the US will betray Ukraine on the territory without clear security guarantees,” according to a Der Spiegel report, The Guardian reported.
The warning reportedly came during a recent call between several European leaders. Der Spiegel says it obtained a summary of the conversation in English containing direct quotes from heads of government expressing doubts about Washington’s approach to ongoing negotiations with Russia, according to a report by The Guardian.
“Great danger” in current negotiations
Macron called the current phase of the talks a “great danger” for Ukraine and its president.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed the concerns, reportedly warning Zelensky to be “very careful”.
“They’re playing games with you and us,” Merz reportedly told him – a remark Der Spiegel interpreted as a reference to the controversial diplomatic mission to Moscow this week by President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Deep European concern over American strategy
According to the German magazine, several leaders on the call expressed broad skepticism about the framework of a possible US-led settlement.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, described as an ally of Trump over golf, reportedly warned: “We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these people.
Even NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who maintains a warm public relationship with Trump, was quoted as agreeing with Stubb that “we have to protect Volodymyr.”
The American proposal is considered too close to Moscow’s demands
The concerns come after Washington unveiled a 28-point proposal to end the war last month – a plan drawn up without input from European allies and widely criticized in Europe as too close to Russia’s maximalist demands, The Guardian reports.
A wave of high diplomacy followed. American and Ukrainian negotiators met in Geneva and Florida before Witkoff and Kushner traveled to Moscow on Tuesday.
