European leaders have pushed back against parts of the U.S.-led Ukraine peace plan, calling for full European 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 participation. “No negotiations about Ukraine without Ukrainians. No negotiations about Europe’s security without Europeans,” the official said.
This disagreement emerged just days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. and Ukraine made “substantial” progress on an “updated and refined peace framework.” However, European officials argue that the plan must include full European participation, particularly regarding Ukraine’s sovereignty and security. France’s President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the U.S. proposal has not been negotiated with Europeans, despite containing elements that directly impact them. He noted that the plan includes proposed limits on Ukraine’s military capacity, which he called “limitations on the size of the Ukrainian army — in other words, on its own sovereignty.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also warned over the weekend at the Group of 20 summit in South Africa that Europe cannot be excluded from any settlement. “Wars cannot be ended by major powers over the heads of the countries affected,” Merz said, adding, “We are still quite a way from a good outcome for everyone.”
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb reiterated that NATO will assert control over matters within its remit: “It is clear that Europe and NATO decide on matters concerning them.” Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged the U.S. plan had constructive elements, but noted that some aspects would need changes.
Amid the friction, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated Kyiv’s red lines, rejecting territorial concessions. “The aggressor must pay fully for the war he started,” Zelenskyy said in an address to Sweden’s parliament. “Putin wants legal recognition for what he has stolen… That is the main problem.”
Moscow has dismissed emerging European ideas as “not constructive,” according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, as reported by Reuters. Although tensions persist, the negotiations continue as key European states plan to coordinate their positions and push for greater inclusion in shaping a lasting peace agreement.