The newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has stated that the prospect of returning Ukraine’s borders to their 2014 status is unrealistic. He also noted that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not seen by the United States as a viable outcome in negotiations for a peaceful resolution to the war.
This was reported by European Truth.
Hegseth emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump is committed to ending the war in Ukraine through diplomacy but stressed the need for a pragmatic assessment of the situation.
“We can end this devastating war and achieve lasting peace… But to do so, we must take a sober look at the reality on the battlefield. Like you, we want to see a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. At the same time, we must acknowledge that returning to the 2014 borders is not a realistic goal,” Hegseth said.
He warned that pursuing this objective would only prolong the conflict and suffering.
Security Guarantees Without NATO Membership
Hegseth also stressed that a lasting peace in Ukraine must be based on credible security guarantees to prevent a resurgence of hostilities.
“This must not be Minsk 3.0,” he stated.
He further clarified that the U.S. does not consider Ukraine’s NATO membership to be a feasible outcome of peace negotiations.
However, he noted that any security guarantees should involve combat-ready forces from both European and non-European countries.
“If such troops are deployed as peacekeepers in Ukraine, it should be outside NATO's framework and not fall under Article 5. Reliable international oversight of the contact line would also be a key element,” he added.
Despite this, Hegseth firmly ruled out the deployment of American troops in Ukraine under any security agreement.
On February 11, reports emerged that President Trump’s administration is planning to pressure European nations to purchase more U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.
