U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said returning Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders is not a realistic goal and that NATO membership for Kyiv is not part of a negotiated settlement. He urged European allies to take greater responsibility for regional security.
The U.S. has ruled out supporting Ukraine’s aim to restore its pre-2014 borders and does not view NATO membership for Kyiv as a viable outcome, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a meeting of Ukraine’s military allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth gave the most direct statement yet on the Trump administration’s approach to the nearly three-year-old war.
"We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," Hegseth told officials from Ukraine and over 40 allied nations.
"Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering," he added.
His comments mark a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s position, which backed Ukraine "for as long as necessary" and prioritised restoring its territorial integrity.
Hegseth also signalled that Washington expects its NATO allies to take on greater security responsibilities in Europe. He said U.S. border security concerns and threats posed by China meant that America could no longer be "primarily focused on the security of Europe."
His remarks indicate a significant shift in U.S. policy, suggesting Ukraine may have to abandon key war objectives—reclaiming territory from Russia and securing long-term NATO protection.
While Trump administration officials had previously hinted at these changes, Hegseth’s statement was the clearest indication yet that Washington does not support Kyiv’s long-term aspirations.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hegseth stated that any durable peace deal must include "robust security guarantees" to prevent renewed conflict but ruled out deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine as part of those guarantees.
He also made clear that Washington does not see Ukraine’s NATO accession as a realistic part of any settlement. Instead, he said security guarantees should involve "capable European and non-European troops" but should not be under NATO’s mutual defence umbrella.
"If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be part of a non-NATO mission and should not be covered under Article 5," he said, referring to the alliance’s collective defence clause.
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