French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need for “unity” between Europe and the United States on Ukraine when asked about reports that he said Washington could be about to “betray” Kyiv in a private call with European leaders. 

“I’ve seen all the rumors in the last few days,” Macron told reporters on a trip to Chengdu alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping. “Unity between Americans and Europeans on the Ukrainian issue is essential … We need to work together. We must work together.”

Macron was responding to questions about an alleged leaked transcript obtained by Der Spiegel of a call on Monday between Macron and other European leaders. The German magazine reported that the French president warned of “a great danger” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid U.S.-brokered peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow.  

When asked about the story, an Elysée official, granted anonymity to adhere to standard professional protocol in France, stressed Thursday that Macron’s office released its own summary of the exchange “in which this word [betray] does not figure.”

Macron struck a more sanguine note on Friday, saying Washington was a welcome partner in the ongoing peace talks and that Europe and the U.S. “must not give in to any spirit of division” on Ukraine. 

“We welcome and support the peace efforts made by the United States of America,” he added. “The United States of America needs Europeans to lead its peace efforts because this is happening on the European continent.”

Monday’s call took place after the Trump administration circulated a 28-point peace plan — reportedly drafted with input from the Kremlin, along with Washington envoys Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — that was criticized by Ukraine and European allies for being too favorable to Russia. 

Subsequent talks in Geneva, attended by European, Ukrainian and American officials, yielded an updated 19-point plan, which Russia has yet to agree to.