There was no sense of betrayal, only a recognition that the world and the United States are invested in and committed to a negotiated peace, said the U.S. secretary of state Pete Hegseth upon arriving at the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.
The United States has opened the door to peace talks with Ukraine, but pursued the move without its allies and signaling concessions to Vladimir Putin even before sitting at the table. Hegseth himself described the approach before the public call between Donald Trump and the Russian president during a NATO Ukraine contact group meeting.
On Thursday, ministers will gather to discuss better capabilities, negotiate higher defense spending, and reinforce support for Kyiv. They will do so with Hegseth, who has dismissed the idea that Ukraine membership in the alliance or a return to pre-2014 borders are realistic goals in a peace negotiation.
“My role as the United States representative is to speak in practical terms about the trajectory of the conflict,” Hegseth said before the meeting, adding: “I think you saw yesterday, the president Trump, arguably the best negotiator on the planet, bring the two sides closer to a negotiated peace, which is what everyone ultimately wants.”
Rutte, a Man of Profile
Before the meeting began, as is customary, a joint appearance by the NATO secretary general and Pete Hegseth had been planned. They gathered Wednesday evening at the Dutch leader’s residence for an informal dinner. Far from an awkward moment, Rutte appeared to be in good spirits.
The secretary general later confirmed that during the Ukraine discussions scheduled for Thursday, they would also touch on what happened yesterday. Rutte stressed that there is a growing convergence, insisting that Ukraine must be in a position of leverage. “Ukraine can never again be in a situation like Minsk where peace is not durable,” he stated.
The former Dutch prime minister underscored that a collective dialogue would take place, but it is clear that Hegseth first, and Trump afterward, laid out the peace terms, all favorable to Russia. They rejected not only Ukraine’s potential NATO membership as a security guarantee, but also the notion of allied troops guaranteeing peace on the ground.
Allied Response
During the campaign, Trump had boasted that the war would end in a single day. In the weeks that followed his election, Ukraine hardly featured in his rhetoric. It was anticipated that this week, as the new administration participated in a NATO gathering for the first time, more details would emerge about his stance on the conflict. And that expectation proved accurate.
The European stance did not surprise anyone, and their message has not wavered. Allies insist they cannot make decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine itself. They also emphasize that Europe must take part in any negotiation because the outcome will have security implications across the continent.
“Europe must sit at the table, especially when discussions involve potential security guarantees,” said Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans upon arrival. His French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, warned that peace can only be achieved from strength or from weakness, and the latter could carry catastrophic consequences for international security.
In a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of France, Poland, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Europeans reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. All of this is set against the backdrop of the terms being negotiated between Putin and Trump, which could affect the future security landscape.