European leaders have pushed back against parts of the U.S.-led Ukraine peace plan, demanding full involvement in negotiations as talks continue. A senior European diplomat told Fox News Digital that Europe would not accept a U.S.-driven agreement without full European involvement, stressing that “no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukrainians. No negotiations about Europe’s security without Europeans”. This sentiment has been echoed by key allies, including Paris, Berlin, and Helsinki, who have signaled they will not be sidelined during talks in Geneva.
A day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned progress on an updated peace framework, Europe voiced concerns about the lack of direct negotiation with its representatives. The European official called the American plan “a basis that requires further work,” adding that “the first of these conditions must be the implementation of a ceasefire along the line of contact.” France and the United Kingdom are set to convene a Coalition of Volunteers meeting on Tuesday to align their positions.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned at the Group of 20 summit in South Africa that Europe cannot be excluded from any settlement, stating, “Wars cannot be ended by major powers over the heads of the countries affected.” French President Emmanuel Macron echoed these concerns, noting that the U.S. plan “has not been negotiated with the Europeans,” despite containing provisions affecting European interests. He criticized proposed limits on Ukraine’s military capacity as “limitations on the size of the Ukrainian army — in other words, on its own sovereignty.”
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb emphasized that NATO would handle matters within its remit, stating, “It is clear that Europe and NATO decide on matters concerning them.” Despite these tensions, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte highlighted that the U.S. plan still had “constructive elements,” noting that while some aspects needed changes, there was also “good stuff in the plan.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated Kyiv’s red lines, emphasizing that “the aggressor must pay fully for the war he started,” rejecting territorial concessions. Meanwhile, Moscow has dismissed emerging European ideas as “not constructive,” according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. These ongoing discussions underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of the peace process, with key players navigating competing interests to find a viable path toward resolution.