As the world approaches the third anniversary of the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, “our message is clear: The bloodshed must stop and this war must end,” declared Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
“[President Trump] intends to end this war by diplomacy and bringing both Russia and Ukraine to the table. And the U.S. Department of Defense will help achieve this goal.”
“We will only end this devastating war and establish a durable peace by coupling allied strength with a realistic assessment of the battlefield,” said Secretary Hegseth.
“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” stated Secretary Hegseth.
“Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops. If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission and they should not be covered under Article five.”
“Safeguarding European security must be an imperative for European members of NATO,” stressed Secretary Hegseth.
“As part of this, Europe must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine. ... Part of this is speaking frankly with your people about how this threat can only be met by spending more on defense. Two percent is not enough. President Trump has called for 5 percent, and I agree.”
As the U.S. is prioritizes deterring war with China in the Pacific, “European allies must lead from the front,” urged Secretary Hegseth. “Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximizes our comparative advantages in Europe and Pacific, respectively.”
“Our Trans-Atlantic alliance has endured for decades,” said Secretary Hegseth, “and we fully expect that it will be sustained for generations to come.”
“But the United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency. Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security. ... President Trump looks forward to working together to continuing this frank discussion amongst friends and to achieve peace through strength together.”
