A NATO diplomat told the Euractiv news portal that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's statement about Ukraine joining the NATO alliance was unrealistic and meant to force Kiev to "surrender first".
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| US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. (Source: Reuters) |
Speaking at a meeting with NATO allies in Brussels on February 12 during a visit to Germany, Belgium and Poland, Hegseth said the US believes Ukraine's accession to NATO is not a viable outcome in any potential negotiations with Russia.
Mr Hegseth also said any future security guarantees for Ukraine would have to be supported by forces from within and outside Europe in a non-NATO mission without US participation.
These are the most frank and public statements to date about Washington's new approach to the nearly three-year conflict in Ukraine by the new US Secretary of Defense.
During his first trip to Europe, Pete Hegseth also stated that the US would definitely not send troops to Ukraine. According to Hegseth, Washington would have to shoulder more responsibility for European security. In addition, "harsh strategic realities" such as US border security and threats from China, make it impossible for Washington to "focus on European security".
The US Defense Secretary's remarks on Ukraine represent a sharp shift from the stance of the Biden administration and Kiev's close allies, who have previously vowed to "support Ukraine indefinitely" and protect its territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, several other diplomats told the Euractiv news portal that they were surprised by such a policy change from Washington, which comes ahead of potential peace talks to discuss the Ukraine issue.
Notably, also on February 12, US President Donald Trump announced that he agreed to take the issue of Ukraine joining NATO off the table because he did not think it was feasible. President Trump also said that he believed a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict could happen in the "not too distant future".
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nha-trang-thay-doi-chinh-sach-ve-ukraine-khien-dong-minh-nato-bat-ngo-304117.html
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