Major shifts in U.S. Defense Chief Support in NATO's First Ukrainian | Russia – Ukrainian War News

During the U.S. Secretary of Defense's first meeting with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, Washington's attitude towards the Ukrainian war took a major change.

Pete Hegseth, the head of the Pentagon, spoke at the Brussels Union headquarters on Wednesday, outlining a tenacious hub in U.S. policy four years after former U.S. President Joe Biden, while Keeping the end of the Ukrainian conflict, this remains the “highest priority”. .

He spoke before our Prime Minister Donald Trump, announcing that he had made his first call with Russian President Vladimir Putin since taking office.

“Our message is clear: the bleeding must stop and this war must end,” Hegs said in a speech to the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group.

But, he added: “We will only end this devastating war and build lasting peace – by combining the power of the Allied forces with a realistic assessment of the battlefield.”

This means, he continued, that Ukraine must give up its “illusionary goal” to return to the pre-2014 border, referring to the year Russia occupied Crimea and Donbass territory.

Heggs said war-hardened countries must prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia and may be supported by non-NATO international forces.

He added that Ukraine's long-term membership in NATO (Kiev is crucial to its long-term security) is not “realistic”.

The statements are by far the most obvious expression of how the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has fought a war in Ukraine, which began with the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Trump's repeated promises to end the conflict quickly has raised concerns that it could force Kiev to accept huge concessions, including the loss of its Russian-occupied territory.

The U.S. president has also been a voice critic of NATO, threatening the U.S. withdrawal, and repeatedly called on group members to increase defense spending.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reported that attendees at Wednesday's meeting had been waiting for Hegseth to “provide more details about the U.S. commitment to Ukraine in the coming weeks and months”.

But, “this is different from what NATO and Europeans expect today’s Americans,” he said.

“Hegseth said very clearly today that from now on, Europeans must understand that given the distinct global geopolitical development, Americans will focus primarily on European security,” added Ahelbarra.

“There are other challenges, beyond the agenda, the growing global economic and military influence that Americans want to refute.”

Europeans must provide an “overwhelming share”

As part of a broader policy shift in the United States, Heggs said European countries “must provide Ukraine with an overwhelming share of the deadly and non-lethal aid for the future.”

Over the past three years, about 50 countries have jointly provided Ukraine with more than $12.6 billion in weapons and military aid. The United States has provided about $64 billion under the Biden administration.

Heggs also repeated Trump's claim that NATO members must increase their defense spending, with calls for an increase in distribution to 5% of their GDP (GDP), far beyond the 2% they have already promised.

Aishirbala reported that given that most European countries are “still working to reach 2%”, it may not be possible for most countries to meet.

The Pentagon head also offers a new vision for Ukraine's long-term security, which he said should not include Ukraine's final joining NATO.

The Biden administration supports Ukraine in principle to join the group, if certain reforms are reached, despite fears such a move could incorporate the coalition into a broader war.

Under Article 5 of NATO, an attack on one member was considered an attack on all members and triggered a joint military response.

“Any assurance of security must be supported by competent European and non-European military forces” and is not supported by Article 5 protection.

He added that any force deployment in Ukraine must be “part of a non-NATO mission.”

“It is to be clear that as part of any security guarantee, U.S. troops will not be deployed to Ukraine,” he said.

Hegseth announced on Wednesday that he had held his first call with Putin.

“As we both agree, we want to stop millions of deaths in the war with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that he is confident that negotiations to end the war will It is successful.

He added that the two leaders agreed to visit each other's Earl's crime.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said he had a “meaningful” call with Trump on Wednesday.