On February 12, 2025, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Trump administration would not support NATO membership for Ukraine or send peacekeeping troops to the region. This statement came during a NATO meeting in Brussels, where he emphasized that Ukraine would not revert to its pre-2014 borders following Russia’s initial aggression.
- Trump administration loses leverage over Russia
- U.S. rejects NATO membership for Ukraine
- European officials criticize Trump's statements
- High-level U.S.-Russia talks held in Saudi Arabia
- Potential Trump-Putin meeting by end of February
European officials reacted swiftly to Hegseth’s remarks. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the U.S. position as a mistake, while Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard cautioned against falling into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategies. Meanwhile, discussions between U.S. and Russian officials took place in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant moment since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
The geopolitical landscape surrounding Ukraine remains tense as negotiations continue without Ukrainian involvement. The recent talks in Saudi Arabia represent the first high-level dialogue between Washington and Moscow since the onset of full-scale hostilities in 2022.
Key points from Hegseth’s announcement include:
- No acceptance of NATO membership for Ukraine.
- No deployment of U.S. peacekeeping troops to the region.
