US Defense Secretary Signals Shift in Ukraine Policy, Calls for Negotiated Settlement, European Leadership

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated a move towards a negotiated settlement in Ukraine and a greater reliance on Europe over the conflict, The Associated Press reports.

Addressing NATO allies on Wednesday, Hegseth suggested that NATO membership for Ukraine was “unrealistic” and that Kyiv should focus on securing a peace agreement backed by international troops, rather than pursuing the complete recovery of its territory.

Hegseth’s remarks come hours after President Donald Trump announced he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin “negotiations” to end the war, signaling a potential new approach to the conflict.

Speaking to allies eager for clarity on continued US support for Ukraine, Hegseth emphasized Trump’s commitment to having Europe assume greater financial and military responsibilities for Ukraine’s defense, including a potential peacekeeping force. He stressed that this force should be primarily European, without US troops, and should not be covered by NATO’s Article 5 collective defense agreement.

“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth stated during a meeting to rally support for increased arms and ammunition for Ukraine. “Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops…there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine.”

Hegseth also called for Europe to shoulder the “overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine” and for Western backers to abandon the “illusionary goal” of restoring Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders.

These statements mark a clear departure from previous US policy and are likely to temper Ukraine’s hopes of fully regaining its territory. They could also complicate upcoming talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference.

Hegseth’s remarks also included a call for NATO member nations to significantly increase defense spending to 5% of their budgets, underscoring the US desire for a more balanced relationship with its European allies.