Washington, Feb 13 (UNI) US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said that the Ukraine-Russia conflict must end, Kyiv's NATO membership is unrealistic, and the US will no longer prioritise European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration focuses on securing its borders and deterring war with China, media reports said on Thursday.
In remarks before a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, Hegseth also said that European troops should be the primary force securing a post-war Ukraine—something US troops will not be involved in, the CCN reported on Thursday.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said. And he added that any security guarantees offered to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” according to CNN report.