LONDON and THE PENTAGON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared at his first meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Wednesday to tell allies that the liberation of all Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory “is an unrealistic objective.”
“The bloodshed must stop and this war must end,” Hegseth said, in one of the most detailed delineations of the Ukraine-Russia peace deal envisioned by President Donald Trump’s new administration.
“President Trump has been clear with the American people — and with many of your leaders — that stopping the fighting and reaching an enduring peace is a top priority,” Hegseth said at the meeting, which was led by the U.K., marking the first time the group has not convened under U.S. leadership.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government in Kyiv have demanded full territorial liberation per the country’s internationally-recognized 1991 borders. Among Ukraine’s other demands are binding Western security guarantees, ideally in the form of full NATO membership and Article 5 protection.
In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on Feb. 12, 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (L) and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (R) pose for a photo prior to their talks during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels.
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/AFP via Getty Images
Hegseth rejected such ambitions.
Full liberation, Hegseth said, is “unrealistic.” The defense secretary added that “chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
