Brussels, Belgium — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, attending his first Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, emphasized the urgent need to end the war in Ukraine while calling on European allies to take a greater role in the continent’s security.
“This is my first Ukraine Defense Contact Group. And I’m honored to join all of you today,” Hegseth said Tuesday. “We are at, as you said, Mr. Secretary, a critical moment. As the war approaches its third anniversary, our message is clear: The bloodshed must stop. And this war must end.”
Hegseth outlined President Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict, prioritizing diplomacy to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. “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,” he said. The U.S. Department of Defense, he added, would support this goal.
“We will only end this devastating war – and establish a durable peace – by coupling allied strength with a realistic assessment of the battlefield,” he stated.
However, Hegseth warned against pursuing what he called “an unrealistic objective” of restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders. “Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering,” he said. Instead, he argued that a lasting peace must involve “robust security guarantees” to prevent future conflict. “This must not be Minsk 3.0,” he added.
On NATO’s role, Hegseth made it clear that the U.S. does not believe Ukraine’s membership in the alliance is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. “Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” he said, specifying that any peacekeeping forces deployed should operate under a non-NATO mission and not be covered under Article 5 protection.
Addressing economic factors, Hegseth underscored the importance of curbing Russian revenue streams by increasing American energy production and enforcing energy sanctions. “To further enable effective diplomacy and drive down energy prices that fund the Russian war machine, President Trump is unleashing American energy production and encouraging other nations to do the same,” he said. “Lower energy prices coupled with more effective enforcement of energy sanctions will help bring Russia to the table.”
Hegseth also urged European allies to take a leading role in supplying Ukraine with military aid. “Safeguarding European security must be an imperative for European members of NATO,” he said, calling for increased donations of ammunition and equipment, leveraging comparative advantages, expanding defense industrial bases, and being transparent with their citizens about the growing security threat. He echoed Trump’s call for NATO members to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, arguing that the current 2% benchmark is insufficient. “2% is not enough; President Trump has called for 5%, and I agree.”
“The United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency,” he said. “Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security.”
Hegseth stressed that the U.S. remains committed to NATO but noted that Washington must shift its focus to its own homeland security and the strategic challenge posed by China. “The United States faces consequential threats to our homeland. We must – and we are – focusing on security of our own borders,” he said. “We also face a peer competitor in the Communist Chinese with the capability and intent to threaten our homeland and core national interests in the Indo-Pacific.”
“As the United States prioritizes its attention to these threats, European allies must lead from the front,” he continued. “Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximizes our comparative advantages in Europe and the Pacific respectively.”
Despite this pivot, Hegseth expressed confidence in Europe’s ability to step up. He highlighted Sweden’s record-breaking $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine and Poland’s 5% GDP defense spending as examples of increasing European commitment. He also commended the 14 nations co-leading Capability Coalitions to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine.
“These are first steps. More must still be done,” he said. “We ask each of your countries to step up on fulfilling the commitments that you have made. And we challenge your countries, and your citizens, to double down and re-commit yourselves not only to Ukraine’s immediate security needs, but to Europe’s long-term defense and deterrence goals.”
Hegseth concluded with a call for “peace through strength.”
“Our transatlantic alliance has endured for decades. And we fully expect that it will be sustained for generations to come. But this won’t just happen,” he said. “It will require our European allies to step into the arena and take ownership of conventional security on the continent.”
“President Trump looks forward to working together, to continuing this frank discussion amongst friends, and to achieve peace through strength – together.”
