During closed-door negotiations, European leaders warned Zelenskyy of a "betrayal" by the US and urged to "protect" him from Trump's American envoys — these details of a telephone conversation held on Monday were revealed by Der Spiegel, which obtained a transcript of the call.
This was reported by the German outlet Der Spiegel, which acquired the transcript of the call involving Volodymyr Zelenskyy and ten European leaders — Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Mark Rutte, Alexander Stubb, Donald Tusk, Giorgia Meloni, Mette Frederiksen, Jonas Gahr Støre, Ursula von der Leyen, and António Costa.
During the conversation, Macron stated: "There is a probability that the US will betray Ukraine on territorial issues without clarity regarding security guarantees." The French President added that Zelenskyy faces "great danger."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Zelenskyy needs to be "extremely cautious in the coming days." "They are playing games — with you and with us," he said, referring to American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who maintains some of the best relations with Trump among European leaders, also expressed concern: "We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte supported the Finnish President: "I agree with Alexander, we must protect Volodymyr."
According to the publication, the Europeans hoped to organize a meeting with Witkoff and Kushner in Brussels on Wednesday following their return from Moscow. Merz suggested asking Trump about this. The leaders debated whether the meeting should take place at NATO headquarters or within EU structures. Meloni reportedly opposed the idea. Stubb insisted on participation: "We are out right now. We need to be in the game."
The meeting did not take place — after negotiations in the Kremlin, Witkoff went directly to Washington.
The call also addressed the issue of frozen Russian assets, with some leaders insisting that the final decision should rest with the EU, not the US.
The transcript of the European leaders' conversation was released amidst an intensifying negotiation process regarding a peace settlement in Ukraine. Talks in Florida concluded last weekend — the meeting was held at the Shell Bay Golf Club in Miami, where the Ukrainian delegation was led by NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov, and the American side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Following the talks, the parties failed to agree on the territorial issue — Russia insists that Kyiv hand over parts of the non-occupied territories of Donbas.
After Florida, Witkoff and Kushner traveled to Moscow, where they held a nearly five-hour meeting with Putin; however, according to the Russian dictator's aide Yuri Ushakov, compromises "have not yet been found." Following talks in Paris, Zelenskyy held a joint call with Macron, Starmer, Umerov, and Witkoff to coordinate further steps.
According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian and American sides developed a 20-point peace plan during consultations in Geneva and Florida, and "Ukraine was heard and listened to." At the same time, Le Monde notes that two critical points remain unresolved: the territorial question and security guarantees.