Hegseth Bows To Putin, Rules Out Ukraine Joining NATO

CNN reports:

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic and that the US will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration shifts its attention to securing the US’ own borders and deterring war with China.

In remarks before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth also said that European troops should be the primary force securing a post-war Ukraine—something US troops will not be involved in, he added.

“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said. And he added that any security guarantees offered to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”

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🇺🇸🇸🇪Just met with US Secretary of Defense @SecDef Pete Hegseth. As a NATO ally, Sweden is committed to doing its part to strengthen Europe’s defence – both by aiding Ukraine and accelerating the development of our military capabilities. pic.twitter.com/BmwGnSgY0L

— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) February 12, 2025

Hegseth: “We must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective … the US does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.” pic.twitter.com/n08HaWYJt1

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 12, 2025