KEY POINTS
- US Defence Secretary calls the full liberation of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory an “unrealistic objective.”
- Hegseth emphasises that ending the war should take priority over territorial restoration goals.
- He rejects NATO membership for Ukraine in a negotiated settlement.
- Stresses that any security guarantees must involve European and non-European troops, not US forces.
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at his first meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on Wednesday, said that the full liberation of all Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory is an “unrealistic objective.”
He emphasised that ending the ongoing war and securing a durable peace must be the priority, rather than pursuing unattainable goals that could prolong the conflict, ABC News reported.
“The bloodshed must stop and this war must end,” Hegseth remarked in what has been one of the most detailed explanations of the Ukraine-Russia peace deal under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“President Trump has been clear with the American people—and with many of your leaders—that stopping the fighting and reaching an enduring peace is a top priority,” he added.
The meeting, led by the United Kingdom, marked the first time the Ukraine Defence Contact Group was convened without US leadership.
Hegseth outlined Trump’s vision to bring both Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, emphasising that achieving peace would require both allied strength and a realistic assessment of the battlefield situation.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said.
“Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.” He also stressed that if troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine, they should be part of a non-NATO mission, with no coverage under NATO’s Article Five, and that robust international oversight of the line of contact would be necessary.
Hegseth also reiterated that no US troops would be deployed to Ukraine as part of any security guarantee. “To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine,” he stated firmly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government have continued to push for the restoration of the country’s internationally recognised 1991 borders, either through military or diplomatic means.
They have also demanded binding security guarantees, with full NATO membership and Article Five protection at the top of their list of priorities.
However, Hegseth rejected such ambitions, arguing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic in the short term.
“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, but we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,” he said. “Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
The US Defence Secretary also raised concerns about the growing strategic competition with China, which has prompted the US to reassess its focus on Europe’s security.
“The stark strategic realities of competition with China in the Indo-Pacific and the U.S. focus on securing its domestic borders prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe,” he said.
He called on European allies to take a greater role in supplying aid to Ukraine, including ammunition and military equipment, and to expand their industrial bases.
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Hegseth added that the US would no longer tolerate an “imbalanced relationship” that encouraged dependency in Europe. “Rather, our relationship will prioritise empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security,” he stated.
He also urged NATO allies to increase their defence spending beyond the 2% GDP target set in 2014, calling the threshold “not enough.” He supported President Trump’s call for defence spending to rise to 5% of GDP.
Responding to Hegseth’s remarks, British Defence Secretary John Healey expressed understanding and commitment. “We hear you. We hear your commitment to NATO, to Article Five, to a sovereign Ukraine and to your defence partnership with Europe,” Healey said.
“We also hear your concerns. On stepping up for Ukraine, we are and we will. On stepping up for European security, we are and we will.”
Healey continued, “You’ve just spoken about peace through strength. We are 50 nations strong here, all determined to put an end to Putin’s war, to do so together.”
