US Defence Secretary Says “No NATO Membership For Ukraine”| Ukraine- Russia War
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and in sweeping remarks suggested that the way forward for Ukraine was for the country to abandon hopes of a return to its pre-2014 borders and prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia — one that should be backed up with an international force of troops.
Hegseth made the comments Wednesday during the first trip to NATO and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group by a member of the new Trump administration.
Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military and financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukraine’s government.
What they heard was that President Donald Trump is intent on getting Europe to assume the majority of the financial and military responsibilities for the defense of Ukraine — to include a possible peacekeeping force that would not include U.S. troops — and that Hegseth said should not have Article Five protections — which could call upon the U.S. or the 31 other nations of the NATO alliance to come to the aid of those forces if they end up in contact with Russian forces.
Hegseth said that Ukraine’s Western backers must abandon the “illusionary goal” of returning the country to its pre-2014 borders, before Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and seized parts of eastern Ukraine.
“Members of this contact group must meet the moment,” Hegseth said to the assembled group pf approximately 50 member countries who have been providing support to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
“We hear you,” U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in response to Hegseth’s opening remarks.
Both Hegseth and Healey spoke in front of the press at the top of what would be a closed door session in Brussels to discuss future aid to Ukraine.
Over nearly three years, around 50 countries have collectively provided Ukraine more than $126 billion in weapons and military assistance.
But the meeting this week was convened by another country for the first time: the United Kingdom. All previous gatherings of the forum were chaired by the United States.
No decision has been made on who might chair the next meeting, if one is called.
Hegseth wasn’t expected to make any announcement on new weapons for Ukraine.
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