US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has made it clear that the Trump administration sees Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders as an unattainable goal and does not support NATO membership as a resolution to the ongoing war.
Speaking at a high-level NATO summit in Brussels, Hegseth urged European allies to take greater responsibility for regional security, marking a pivotal shift in US policy toward the nearly three-year-old conflict.
“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,” Hegseth told representatives from over 40 nations supporting Kyiv.
He warned that pursuing such a goal would only extend the war and increase suffering.
Arrived @NATO HQ. Our commitment is clear: NATO must be a stronger, more lethal force—not a diplomatic club. Time for allies to meet the moment.
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His remarks come as Russia continues to hold about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea—annexed in 2014—and parts of eastern Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have waged a prolonged insurgency.
Hegseth stressed that any lasting peace deal must include “robust security guarantees” to prevent future conflict.
However, he dismissed NATO membership for Ukraine as an impractical outcome, suggesting instead that European and non-European forces should provide security assurances.
“If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be part of a non-NATO mission and should not fall under NATO’s Article 5 obligations,” he stated, reinforcing the US stance on limiting direct military engagement.
With Washington shifting its focus, the Trump administration is signaling that European nations must take the lead in securing long-term stability in the region.
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