Fri Dec 05 06:13:04 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

A German magazine, Spiegel, reports that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed skepticism in a confidential call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the direction of U.S.-led peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Macron allegedly warned that the U.S. might pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions without guaranteed security measures. Merz reportedly cautioned Zelenskyy that U.S. negotiators are “playing games.” These concerns arise after U.S. envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump described the peace talks’ path as unclear. While the French Foreign Ministry avoided commenting on alleged leaks.

News Article:

European Leaders Voice Concerns Over U.S.-Led Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks

Berlin – December 5, 2025 – A report in the German magazine Spiegel has revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have voiced concerns regarding the trajectory of U.S. efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.

According to a leaked transcript of a confidential call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders on December 1, 2025, Macron allegedly warned that the United States might pressure Ukraine into making territorial concessions to Russia without providing sufficient security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

“There is a chance that the U.S. will betray Ukraine on territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron is quoted as saying by Spiegel.

Chancellor Merz also reportedly cautioned Zelenskyy that U.S. negotiators are “playing games” and urged him to be “very careful”.

The revelations follow a meeting between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump described the path forward for peace talks as “unclear” after what he termed “reasonably good” discussions.

While Berlin declined to comment on the Spiegel report, the French President’s office, quoted by Spiegel said “The President did not express himself in these words,” and the French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux addressed the leak to reporters and said “I don’t see myself commenting on alleged leaks. There can be no doubt about our support for Ukraine and the intensity of our exchanges with the American side.”

The alleged concerns raised by Macron and Merz highlight potential divisions within the international community regarding the best approach to resolving the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The future of the peace negotiations, and the role of the United States, remains uncertain.

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