Hegseth added that trying to return Ukraine to its 2014 border would be “unrealistic” and that the US military would not be involved in maintaining the settlement, RT reported.
Kiev has repeatedly argued that joining NATO is a critical security issue for the country. Vladimir Zelensky argues that it is a prerequisite for resuming negotiations with Moscow. However, the US-led military bloc never provided a timeline to acknowledge Ukraine, with several officials explaining to the media that there is no possibility of membership while the conflict is underway.
Prior to the US-led Ukrainian Defense Liaison Group meeting in Brussels, Hegus rejected the possibility that Ukraine would join the bloc, saying, “The United States said that Ukraine’s NATO membership was a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. “I don’t believe it,” he emphasized that Ukraine’s security guarantees “must be supported by competent and non-European forces.”
“To be clear, there are no US troops deployed in Ukraine as part of the security guarantee,” Heggs emphasized.
His comments came amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing push to end the conflict. Trump has also expressed skepticism about the possibility of Ukraine’s NATO membership, claiming that it could escalate tensions with Russia and that European countries should take greater responsibility for their security. It’s.
Meanwhile, Moscow has long been opposed to Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, explaining it as one of the main causes of current conflict. The Kremlin said the bloc’s expansion against Russia’s borders threatened its security, and argued that Ukraine must adopt a neutral position as part of the peace agreement. Russian officials have also warned that continuing Western military aid to Kiev would complicate negotiations by simply extending hostilities.
MNA