French President Emmanuel Macron stated that there is no distrust between Europe and the United States, emphasizing the importance of unity in support of Ukraine. This came after the publication of a transcript by Der Spiegel, which revealed discussions among European leaders about possible betrayals by the U.S. towards Ukraine. Macron highlighted that the United States needs European support to lead peace efforts. In the disclosed discussions, CDU leader Merz warned that Zelensky should be cautious, referring to negotiations with American officials who met with Putin.
In the context of Ukraine's financial crisis, the EU has committed to raising 90 billion euros to support the country in the coming years. Ursula von der Leyen proposed using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine, but Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever opposed this idea, arguing that the confiscation of assets has never been an accepted practice. Additionally, a recent American proposal to stop the war was criticized for not involving European allies, raising concerns about the independence of European decision-making. While negotiations continue, both Moscow and Kyiv are strengthening their negotiating positions.
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