Europe Accuses United States of Betrayal in Ukraine Peace Talks

A explosive leak published by the German magazine Der Spiegel has revealed deep European distrust toward the United States over the handling of Ukraine peace negotiations. According to a confidential English-language summary of a closed-door teleconference on December 2, 2025, senior European leaders openly accused Washington of duplicity and warned that the Trump administration might betray Ukraine by striking a deal with Moscow that sacrifices Kyiv’s interests.

The 90-minute call, convened shortly after American envoys concluded talks in Moscow, included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and several other heads of government. The discussion centered on a revised 19-point American peace proposal that many participants viewed as dangerously favorable to Russia.

Macron reportedly described the risk that “the United States will betray Ukraine on territory without clarity on security guarantees,” adding that this scenario represented “a big danger” for Zelenskyy personally. Chancellor Merz was equally blunt, urging Europeans not to leave Ukraine “alone with these guys” and accusing the American negotiators of “playing games” with both Kyiv and its European partners.

The leaked summary, the second major disclosure in less than a week, has laid bare a widening transatlantic rift at the precise moment when the Trump administration is pushing for a rapid resolution to the war. European leaders fear that Washington, eager to declare the conflict over, may pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions, demilitarization measures, and new elections without ironclad NATO membership or equivalent protections.

Compounding the tension is Europe’s growing realization that it has shouldered a disproportionate financial burden: since 2022, EU institutions and member states have collectively provided more than €120 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, compared with roughly €75 billion from the United States. Many participants argued that Europe must now prepare to act independently, including by seizing €300 billion in frozen Russian central-bank assets to fund Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction.

Official reactions to the leak have been swift but guarded. The Élysée Palace insisted that President Macron “did not express himself in these exact words,” while confirming that the call took place. President Zelenskyy’s office dismissed the report as “fake news” and declined further comment. NATO and several national governments have refused to discuss the contents, citing the confidentiality of such discussions.

Analysts note that the timing and sophistication of the leak raise the possibility of Russian involvement, potentially intended to deepen divisions within the Western alliance. Regardless of its origin, the disclosure has intensified calls across Europe for greater strategic autonomy and accelerated planning for a scenario in which American security guarantees can no longer be taken for granted.

As the Trump administration presses forward with direct talks in Moscow and prepares new deadlines for a settlement, the episode has cast a harsh spotlight on the fragility of Western unity at a pivotal moment in the three-year war.