BRUSSELS: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth laid out President Donald Trump’s red lines and demands on Ukraine and NATO to Washington’s allies on Wednesday, telling Europe it must step up on supporting Kyiv and its own defence.
In a forceful introduction at NATO headquarters, the former television anchor set out the contours for a future deal that Trump has vowed to reach on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“Our message is clear, the bloodshed must stop and this war must end,” he told a group of Kyiv’s backers that included his Ukrainian counterpart.
Hegseth said trying to return Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders was an “illusionary goal” that would extend the fighting.
The US defence chief said security guarantees would be needed for Ukraine but that NATO membership was “not realistic,” and made clear the United States would not deploy troops on the ground.
“Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” he said.
Hegseth said that Trump was “unleashing US energy production” and urging other producers to do so in a bid to drive down prices — and push Moscow to negotiate.
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