Deep divisions have emerged between the US and Europe as the first serious attempt to halt the war in Ukraine gets underway. EU leaders warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy not to trust the White House, as it could “betray” Kyiv in a mooted peace settlement, according to meeting notes obtained by Der Spiegel.

The US drew up a 28-point peace plan (28PPP) in cooperation with Russia that was discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. However, after consultations with the EU at a Geneva summit on November 23, the US appears to have ignored the EU recommendations and completely cut the EU out of the discussions.

Irked senior European leaders have insisted that any talks with the Kremlin must include Ukraine and that the EU must sit at the table too, as the war in its backyard is a European security issue.

According to meeting notes seen by Der Spiegel, top European leaders warned that Washington could pressure Kyiv into territorial concessions without adequate security guarantees. The remarks were made during a confidential conference call and underscore the widening rift between the White House and its European allies over how to end the war in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed particular concern during the call with Ukrainian Zelenskiy saying: “There is a chance that the US will betray Ukraine on territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron said, according to English-language notes of the conversation seen by Der Spiegel.

He warned of “a big danger” for Zelenskiy, referring to the sensitive issue of Russian demands to take full control of the Donbas.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also issued a stark warning, saying: “They are playing games with both you and us,” he reportedly told Zelenskiy, in apparent reference to US negotiators Steve Witkoff, a real estate investor, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, who both met Putin earlier this week in Moscow.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb added: “We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys.”

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, an outspoken Russia hawk, added: “I agree with Alexander [Stubb] that we need to protect Volodymyr.”

The Moscow talks went well after Putin agreed to many of the secondary points on the list, but Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy advisor, who was also present, said there several points that remain unacceptable to the Kremlin, but in general agreed serious talks had now begun and are moving forward. US President Donald Trump was briefed on the discussion but said the next steps are still “unclear.”

Witkoff was due to debrief the Ukrainian delegation, headed by the newly appointed Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustam Umerov, the next day to gauge their reaction to Putin’s demands and the US version of the plan.

In a separate statement, Zelenskiy stressed that the talks focused on “ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and its national interests.”

After the meeting in Moscow, Ushakov confirmed that the question of sovereignty over the occupied regions remains at the top of the list, and Putin appears to be unwilling to compromise on this question. Giving away any territory is a red line for Zelenskiy who has flatly refused to consider it.

Despite their concerns, European capitals continue to engage with the US delegation. However, the leaders made clear in their private talks that Europe must retain control over the use of frozen Russian assets. Point 14 of the 28PPP proposed to set up a US-Ukraine reconstruction fund capitalised with $100bn from Russia’s frozen assets. The remaining $200bn would be placed in a US-Russian investment fund for joint commercial projects. However, this idea was reportedly dropped later, although its status after the Moscow meeting on December 3 remains unclear.

“Together we want to push through in Brussels that we will use the frozen Russian assets,” Merz said. The EU wants to use the frozen assets to make a €140bn Reparation Loan to Ukraine that will be repaid by eventual reparation payments by Russia. However, the idea is proving to be extremely unpopular. Belgium, where most of the money is, has refused to sign off on the loan. And both the European Central Bank (ECB) and now the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also refused to back it due to its questionable legality.

While the Élysée Palace, responding to questions by Der Spiegel, denied Macron used the term “betrayal,” it declined to clarify how he phrased his concerns, citing the confidentiality of the call. In public, Macron has praised the US role, calling it a “very good thing” that would help pressure Russia toward a settlement.

“No decision about Ukraine and Europe without Ukrainians and without Europeans, no dictated peace over the heads of Ukraine, no weakening or division of the European Union and Nato,” Merz said following the call, reiterating Europe’s insistence on a multilateral approach to any final agreement.