French President Emmanuel Macron said there is “no mistrust” between Europe and the United States. He made this clear a day after a report claimed he had privately warned that the US could “betray” Ukraine during peace talks with Russia.
While speaking to reporters in China, Macron stressed the need for joint action. “Unity between Americans and Europeans on the Ukrainian issue is essential. And I say it again and again, we need to work together,” he said.
He also added, “We welcome and support the peace efforts being made by the United States of America. The United States of America needs Europeans to lead these peace efforts.”
Leaked call raises concerns
On Thursday, German magazine Der Spiegel published details of an alleged confidential call between European leaders. The report claimed that both Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed serious doubts about US-led negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
According to the leaked summary, Macron warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “there is a chance that the US will betray Ukraine on territory, without clarity on security guarantees”.
The transcription described the current phase of talks as a “big danger” for Zelenskyy. Merz said he needed to be “very careful.”
Merz warns about hidden agendas
The report also quoted Merz addressing Zelenskyy directly. “They are playing games with both you and us,” he said. This appeared to refer to a recent diplomatic mission to Moscow by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The call reportedly took place about a month after Washington shared a 28-point peace plan to end the Ukraine war.
Why the US plan sparked criticism
The US proposal became controversial for two main reasons:
-
It was prepared without involving Europe or Ukraine’s key European allies.
-
Critics said it closely reflected Russia’s demands.
Despite this backlash, US and Ukrainian officials have continued talks. Meanwhile, Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Moscow for discussions.
They spent about five hours in talks with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. After that, Witkoff met Ukraine’s national security chief Rustem Umerov in Miami.
However, there was no official statement after the Miami meeting. A Ukrainian official only said more talks were planned.
Europe kept out of negotiations
Throughout this entire process, European leaders remained excluded from the main negotiation table. This has increased their concerns.
Many now believe that the Trump administration does not want European involvement in the peace process. This has made EU leaders even more sceptical about the final outcome.
Macron denies the report completely
When asked directly about the leaked call, Macron gave a firm response, “I deny everything.”
His statement appeared aimed at calming tensions, especially at a time when European leaders are trying to maintain good relations with Trump, who is seen as the key player in any final mediation with Russia.