Europe urges Zelenskyy to secure U.S. guarantees before any Russia deal

The Wall Street Journal reported the informaation, citing diplomats.

Specifically, European leaders advised their Ukrainian counterpart to secure security guarantees for Kyiv from the United States before accepting Russia's demands, according to two European diplomats familiar with the negotiations.

This message was conveyed during a phone call on Monday between Zelenskyy and European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, diplomats said. European leaders emphasized the primary role of the U.S. in the security guarantees offered to Ukraine in any agreement. In Kyiv and other European capitals, there is growing concern that Washington has not clarified what it would do if Russia violated a potential peace agreement and attacked Ukraine again.

These warnings, made in recent days, are another example of European leaders' attempts to intervene in peace negotiations that the U.S. is conducting by addressing the Kremlin and Kyiv directly, largely without European involvement.

According to diplomats, during Monday's phone call, Macron said that Washington needed to send a clear message: the U.S. must clearly explain how it would protect Ukraine before Kyiv agreed to the final terms of an agreement.

Merz warned Zelenskyy that he should be very careful in the coming days, noting that the Americans were playing games with Ukraine and the Europeans, said one of the diplomats who participated in the phone call.

Earlier, Spiegel reported the information, citing a transcript of the leaders' phone conversation on December 1.

The call reportedly took place after a day of negotiations in Florida last weekend, involving a Ukrainian delegation and Trump's team. Participating in the conversation with the Ukrainian President were French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as EU leaders – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.

Macron, during the conversation, allegedly spoke of "the possibility that the U.S. will betray Ukraine on territorial issues, without clarity on security guarantees." Also, according to the transcript, he added that he sees a "great threat" to Zelenskyy (the publication does not specify in what specific context this was said). Merz, according to the transcript, said that Zelenskyy needs to be "very careful in the coming days."

"They are playing a game – with both you and us," said the German Chancellor.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, at one point in the conversation, said that "we (Europeans) must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys."

"I agree with Alexander, we must protect Volodymyr," Rutte added.

The press services of the Finnish President and the NATO Secretary General did not respond to Spiegel's request for comment on the veracity of their information.

Several direct witnesses to the conversation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the publication that such a call took place and that the content of the conversation was accurately conveyed, but refused to confirm specific quotes. Zelenskyy's office told journalists they would not comment.

The Élysée Palace denies that Macron spoke of a "threat of betrayal" from the U.S.

"The President did not express himself in such terms," they stated in response, but did not provide quotes, citing the confidentiality of the leaders' conversation. At the same time, the press service recalled Macron's public statements, where he positively commented on the U.S. role in the negotiations.

Merz's office said they did not want to comment on leaked fragments of the conversation.