In a development that is not entirely surprising, European leaders are claiming that Washington is looking to "betray" Ukraine and President Zelensky during potential formal peace negotiations with Russia. "There is a possibility that the United States will abandon Ukraine on territorial questions without providing clarity on security guarantees," French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly said according to a "leaked" phone call record with other European leaders.

Likely this was an intentional leak and bit of strong signaling to the Trump administration, as Europe has not been on board with the US President's proposed peace plan from the start. "There is a possibility that the US will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees," Macron continued. He laid his view that there was "a great danger" for Zelensky. However, Macron's office has subsequently sought to clarify that "The president did not use those words."

The leaked transcript of the call between European leaders strategizing about how to protect the Zelensky government and Kiev's interests was published Thursday by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

Also reportedly on the line engaged in the conversation were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and of course Zelensky as well.

Merz had in the dialogue agreed that Zelensky should be "extremely careful in the coming days" and warned the Ukrainian leader that "they are playing games with you and with us."

Finland's President Stubb followed with, "We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these people" - after NATO Secretary General Rutte chimed in: "I agree with Alexander. We must protect Volodymyr." The underlying assumption seems to be that Zelensky is in a weak position and is being bullied by the more powerful US officials who have leverage.

The context to this part of the conversation is particularly interesting, given it seems to focus on Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were just in Moscow meeting with Putin, and are spearheading efforts to get the Trump 28-point peace plan (or 19-points based on reports of a revised version) past the goal line. Politico presents the section of the transcript as follows: 

Finland’s Stubb seemed to agree with Merz, according to the transcript. "We cannot leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys," he said, apparently referring to Witkoff and Kushner, which attracted agreement from Rutte. 

"I agree with Alexander — we must protect Volodymyr [Zelenskyy]," the NATO chief said. NATO declined to comment when reached by POLITICO.

Der Spiegel admits in its report that "These and other statements reproduced in the notes of the conversation illustrate the Europeans' deep distrust of the two Trump confidants." Michael Weiss, who was one of the report's co-authors, framed all of this as focused on countering "American dirty tricks to the end war."

One aspect to the conversation was the leaders found agreement on the issue of frozen Russian assets kept in EU banks, which they consider a purely European prerogative, amid recent reports the US is ready to return these to Moscow as part of a finalized Ukraine peace deal.

Washington efforts to quickly achieve peace by seriously engaging both sides are likened to "dirty tricks"?...

Zelensky's office has meanwhile neither conformed nor denied the accuracy of the leaked transcript. An unnamed Ukrainian diplomat did respond as follows when probed by Politico: "In general, only the Russians benefit from any splits between Europe and America, so our consistent position is that transatlantic unity must be maintained."

But the reality is that Zelensky has constantly pushed back against the idea of forging a peace without direct Ukrainian oversight and input. He has also consistently refused territorial concession, and his European backers have also balked at this key part of the Trump plan. The Kremlin is currently insisting that its control over the Donbass and Crimea not be just deemed de facto - but it wants full international and Ukrainian legal recognition that these territories are under the Russian Federation.