Merz and Macron in particular express doubts about Trump’s negotiators

“There is a possibility that the United States will betray Ukraine on the regional issue, without clarity on security guarantees,” the French president said on Monday. Emmanuel Macron During a secret remote conference in which the German Chancellor participated Friedrich MerzUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky And other continental leaders. Merz replied, according to the text of the dialogue seen by the weekly newspaper: “They are playing with us and with you.” Der Spiegel.

The leader of the Christian Democratic Party was referring to the special envoy of Donald Trump, Steve WitkoffAnd to the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushnerresponsible for negotiating side by side with the Russian President Vladimir Putin Peace agreement for Ukraine.

“We should not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these people,” the Finnish president commented at one point. Alexander Staubone of the few European leaders who has maintained a smooth relationship with Trump thanks to their shared passion for golf. Even the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutiwho had come to refer to the Republican president as “dad,” agreed with Staub’s impressions: “I agree with Alexander, we must protect Volodymyr.”

The impressions that European leaders share privately have nothing to do with their public statements, in which they celebrate the Trump administration’s participation in the negotiations. Although what Staub himself admitted on Wednesday in an interview with the network is true MTV Utesset He added, “It is unlikely that all the conditions for a just peace (in Ukraine) that we have talked about so much over the past four years will be achieved.”

They also participated in a conversation last Monday always according to Der SpiegelPolish Prime Minister Donald TuskPrime Minister of Italy Georgia MeloniDanish Prime Minister Mette FrederiksenPrime Minister of Norway Jonas Jar StorePresident of the European Commission, Ursula von der LeyenAnd the Chairman of the Council, Antonio Costa.

A day after the conference, the contents of which had not been revealed until Thursday, Witkopf and Kushner arrived in Moscow to deliver another round of Trump’s peace proposal to Putin.

This was the sixth visit to the White House by the special envoy, a New York real estate investor with no prior diplomatic experience, whose mission is now to find a negotiated solution to the war. But the five-hour meeting in the Kremlin did not achieve any progress, although the parties claimed to have maintained a “productive” dialogue.

Before receiving Trump’s envoys in the Kremlin, whom he enjoyed walking around downtown Moscow with one of his key aides, Kirill DmitrievPutin accused European leaders of standing “on the side of the war” and systematically sabotaging their agreements with Trump with “absolutely unacceptable” proposals for their interests.

The Russian president also threatened to express a strong military response if Europe decided to start a conflict. “We are ready,” he announced in his usual defiant tone.

European leaders avoided commenting on this exclusive news Der SpiegelWith the only exception of the Elysee, which confirmed that Macron “did not express himself in these terms” during the conclave on Monday. The French President, who received Zelensky in Paris on the same day, highlighted Washington’s role at the negotiating table. He pointed out, “There is American mediation, which is a very good thing, and it will now put pressure on Russia.”

However, the notable absence of Marco Rubio A major meeting of NATO foreign ministers held on Wednesday in Brussels highlighted the cooling of transatlantic relations. This was the first time in twenty-two years – since the invasion of Iraq, to ​​be precise – that the Secretary of State of the United States had not attended an appointment of this kind.