'US may betray you': Macron gives reported warning to Zelenskyy

Emmanuel Macron has reportedly warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “there is a chance that the US will betray Ukraine on territory, without clarity on security guarantees”, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported, quoting a leaked note from a recent call with European leaders.

- Deborah Cole Berlin Pjotr Sauer

Der Spiegel said it had obtained an English summary of Monday’s call, featuring what it said were direct quotations from European heads of government in which they expressed fundamental doubts about Washington’s approach to the talks.

The French president described the current tense phase of the negotiations as harbouring “a big danger” for Ukraine’s president, according to the summary. Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, reportedly added that the Ukrainian leader needed to be “very careful”.

“They are playing games with both you and us,” Merz was reported as telling him - a remark the magazine concluded was a reference to a diplomatic mission to Moscow this week by President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The magazine said other leaders also voiced their concerns, with Finland’s Alexander Stubb, who has bonded with Trump over golf, reportedly warning “we must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys”.

Even the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte - who in public is very complimentary of Trump - reportedly said he agreed with Stubb “that we need to protect Volodymyr”.

Der Spiegel said it spoke to “several” participants of the call, who confirmed it took place, and two of them reportedly said the remarks were “accurately reproduced”.