Trump Says Putin Agreed to Start Negotiations to End Ukraine War

Hegseth Believes Ukraine Retaking Pre-War Borders is Impractical

February 12, 2025 TruthUSA

Hegseth emphasized Trump’s push for negotiations to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and indicated a shift in U.S. focus towards other security concerns beyond Europe.

During a meeting with Ukraine’s international supporters in Belgium on Feb. 12, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned that regaining all lost Ukrainian territory from Russia since 2014 is an unattainable objective in the war. He stressed the need for Europe to take on a larger role in assisting Ukraine.

“We share the goal of a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, but we must acknowledge that returning to pre-2014 borders is not feasible,” Hegseth stated during the meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Following the ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, in early 2014, the country’s borders underwent significant changes. Yanukovych’s departure led to Russian forces taking control of Crimea, with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine pushing for independence.

Since the full-scale conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has annexed eastern Ukrainian provinces and continues to advance westward. With the third anniversary of the war looming, Hegseth reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to ending the fighting through diplomacy.

He also expressed skepticism about Ukraine’s ability to reverse Russia’s territorial advancements since 2014 and disagreed with Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a means to end the conflict.

Hegseth opposed the idea of Ukraine becoming a NATO member as part of a negotiated settlement, citing that it is not a realistic outcome. He underscored that any security guarantees for Ukraine should be supported by European and non-European troops, outside the purview of NATO’s Article Five collective defense provision.

Highlighting the need for European allies to take the lead in providing future support to Ukraine, Hegseth stressed Trump’s calls for increased military spending by NATO members. He proposed raising the defense spending goal to 5 percent of members’ GDP, citing the majority of NATO nations falling short of the current 2 percent target.

Hegseth’s comments also emphasized the importance of addressing U.S. security concerns, particularly in the face of threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region.

As discussions continue on U.S. support for Ukraine, Hegseth’s remarks have prompted reassurances from international leaders regarding commitments to NATO, Ukraine’s sovereignty, and European security.

While Trump has advocated for diplomatic negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the future extent of U.S. assistance to Ukraine remains uncertain.

Recent discussions of potential trade-offs between U.S. support for Ukraine and access to the country’s natural resources, including rare earth minerals, indicate ongoing deliberations within the Trump administration.

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