US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s efforts to seek an end to the Ukraine war with Russian leader Vladimir Putin were “certainly not a betrayal” of Kyiv.
European powers have insisted that Ukraine and other countries on the continent must have a seat at the table in any future negotiations.
“There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace,” Hegseth said ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers. “That will require both sides recognising things they don’t want to.”
Trump on Wednesday blindsided Ukraine and Washington’s European allies by agreeing to launch peace talks in his first publicly announced phone call with Putin since returning to power.
Hegseth has laid out a string of expectations from Washington to halt the conflict, saying it was not realistic for Ukraine to regain all its land or become a member of NATO. He also said that Europe must now start providing the “overwhelming share” of aid to Ukraine and that the United States would not deploy troops as a security guarantee under any deal.
Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, criticized the move, calling it “regrettable” that Washington had made “concessions” to Russia before peace talks had even started.
“In my view, it would have been better to speak about a possible NATO membership for Ukraine or possible losses of territory at the negotiating table,” Pistorius said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of key European powers—including Germany, France, Poland, and Britain—asserted that “Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations.”
NATO chief Mark Rutte emphasized on Thursday that Kyiv’s involvement in talks about its future is crucial.
Britain’s Defence Secretary, John Healey, echoed that sentiment, warning, “There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.”
Rutte insisted that any potential peace deal had to be “enduring,” aligning with earlier statements by Hegseth.
Kyiv’s European backers remain concerned that Trump could pressure Ukraine into an unfavorable peace deal that leaves them vulnerable to an emboldened Putin.
“Europe has to be part of these negotiations. It’s not a question at all,” said Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. “Europe is investing in Ukrainian defence, and Europe is rebuilding Ukraine with European Union money, with our bilateral aid—so we have to be there.”
AFP
