Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine in peace deal with Russia

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that he does not believe Ukraine joining NATO is “realistic,” as the Trump administration looks to broker an end to Russia’s war in the country.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Hegseth also indicated Washington will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security.

“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said, adding U.S. troops will not be involved in securing a post-war Kyiv.

Any security guarantees for the war-torn country “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” the Trump Cabinet official said, adding, “to be clear ... there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.”

President Trump often lamented on the campaign trail last year that Washington was spending too much money on aid for Ukraine and has long pushed for NATO members to increase their spending on defense.

Hegseth said Wednesday he wanted to "directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe."

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