Egypt Daily News – U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth defended President Donald Trump’s planned negotiations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin regarding peace in Ukraine, despite criticism from NATO allies.
Hegseth stated that this is “certainly not a betrayal,” speaking on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels. On Wednesday, he said, “We must start by acknowledging that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic goal,” and that Ukraine should abandon aspirations to join NATO, while the United States will not deploy peacekeeping forces.
At the same time, Trump announced that he would meet with Putin to seek a solution to end the Russian war against Ukraine.
He added, “There is an understanding that the entire world and the United States are interested and willing to pursue peace, and peace through negotiation,” noting that “this will require both sides to acknowledge things they do not want.”
Hegseth further stated that only Trump can convene a meeting between the two sides to establish peace.
European NATO allies were quick to criticize Washington’s approach to ending the war in Ukraine, amid concerns that the United States could significantly reduce its support for Ukraine and impose a peace settlement that might allow Russia to emerge victorious.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated in Brussels, “From my perspective, it would have been better to discuss Ukraine’s potential NATO membership or the potential loss of territory only at the negotiating table, rather than taking them off the table in advance.”
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, called for the involvement of Europe and Ukraine in potential peace negotiations. She added that it is clear that any agreement without the knowledge of the European Union and Ukraine would be ineffective.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned against making too many concessions to Russia in the planned negotiations. He said that if peace is not achieved through strength, it could lead to a catastrophic situation and a long-term escalation of the conflict.
British Defense Secretary John Healey stated, “Let us not forget that Russia still poses a threat far beyond Ukraine,” adding, “There can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine. Ukraine’s voice must be central to any discussions.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg responded cautiously on Thursday to Trump’s announcement, saying, “We will see how things develop from here.” He added that it is crucial for Ukraine to be closely involved in any decisions made regarding Ukraine.
