Several European leaders have expressed distrust of Washington and warned that the United States could betray Ukraine and Europe in peace negotiationsrevealed today the German magazine “The mirror”.
The distrust is supported by the German publication with the transcript of a telephone conference held on Monday between the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the presidents of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, of France, Emmanuel Macron, and of Finland, Alexander Stubb, one of the few European leaders with a very close connection to the North American head of state, Donald Trump.
At the conference, according to “The mirror”among others, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, also with a good relationship with the President of the United States, also participated.
“There is the possibility of the United States betraying Ukraine on the territorial issue, without clarity regarding security guarantees”Macron said in the conference call, according to a transcript in English cited by the German magazine.
A “The mirror” stated that he had confirmed the content with two participants in the telephone conversation. For Zelensky, there would be “a great danger”you will be warned.
Russian demands for territorial concessions are one of the most sensitive points in the negotiations.
Merz stated, for his part, according to the document, that Zelensky should be “extremely careful in the next few days”.
“They are playing games, both with you and with us”the German Chancellor declared, probably in reference to the two North American negotiators Steve Witkoff, a real estate magnate, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, according to the publication.
A “The mirror” said that, although Europeans publicly praise Washington’s new peace initiative, the transcribed document of the conversation shows that, In addition to Merz and Macron, other participants indicated that they also do not trust the two North American emissaries.
Stubb also warned about the negotiating duo, according to the same source.
“We shouldn’t leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys”he said at one point during the conversation, according to the German magazine.
Rutte agreed with the Finn, according to the transcript. “I agree with Alexander, we must protect Volodymyr”he stated.
The consultations between the Europeans and Zelensky were preceded, over the weekend, by talks between Ukrainian security advisor Rustem Umerov and Trump’s negotiators in Miami.