French President Emmanuel Macron is reported to have warned European leaders that “there is a possibility that the U.S. could betray Ukraine on the ground without clarity on security guarantees,” according to the German magazine Der Spiegel, cited by The Guardian, based on a leaked note from a recent call between European leaders.
Spiegel stated that it obtained a note in English summarizing the call, which included what the magazine claims are direct quotes from some participants.
The report suggests that Macron described the tense moment in the discussions as “a great risk” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly said Zelensky needed to be “very careful.”
“They are playing games with both of you and us,” Merz allegedly said, interpreted by Spiegel as a reference to Steve Witkoff’s mission in Moscow.
Other leaders reportedly expressed concerns as well. Alexander Stubb of Finland reportedly said:
“We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys.”
Even NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, publicly very complimentary toward former U.S. President Trump, is reported to have agreed with Stubb, saying Ukraine and Zelensky must be protected.
It should be noted that there is no easy way to verify the authenticity of the note, and The Guardian was unable to immediately confirm the report.
Der Spiegel, however, said it had spoken with “several” participants in the call, and two of them reportedly confirmed that the quotes were accurate.
A spokesman for Zelensky declined to comment, as did Chancellor Merz’s office, while the Elysée Palace denied the quotes attributed to Macron.
