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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has defended President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, saying it’s “certainly not a betrayal” of Kyiv.
Hegseth emphasized that the goal is to achieve a lasting peace, which will require compromises from both sides.
However, European powers are insisting that Ukraine and other European countries must be involved in any future negotiations.
Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, expressed regret that Washington made concessions to Russia before peace talks began.
NATO chief Mark Rutte and Britain’s defense secretary, John Healey, also stressed the importance of Ukraine’s involvement in any negotiations.
Healey warned that “there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.”
European countries are concerned that Trump’s push for peace might lead to a bad deal for Ukraine, emboldening Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Estonian defense minister Hanno Pevkur emphasized that Europe must be part of the negotiations, given their significant investments in Ukrainian defense and rebuilding efforts.
