US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said NATO On Wednesday, as the United States “remains attached” to the military alliance, it favors its own security and prevents conflicts with China.
Hegseth told NATO allies in Brussels that Europe should assume more responsibilities in “safeguarding European security”.
“The United States remains attached to the NATO alliance and the defense partnership with Europe. Complete judgment, ”said Hegseth.
“But the United States will no longer tolerate an unbalanced relationship that encourages dependence. On the contrary, our relationship will favor Europe for the possibility of having its own security. »»
This security includes Ukraine.
Many allies awaited the clarity of the amount of military and financial support that Washington will continue to provide the Ukrainian government under the president Donald TrumpAdministration.
Instead, NATO officials and members have been informed that they should assume more responsibilities.
Hegseth said that Europe should provide “an overwhelming share of future deadly and non -lethal help to Ukraine”.
The secretary also declared that membership of NATO for Ukraine was not realistic and that the probability that Kyiv regains its borders before 2014, including Crimea, was also unlikely.
“Like you, we want a sovereign and a prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that the return to the borders of Ukraine before 2014 is an unrealistic objective, “he said, calling this an” illusory objective “.
“A lasting peace for Ukraine must include robust security guarantees to ensure that war will not start again. It shouldn’t be Minsk [agreements] 3.0. That said, the United States does not believe that membership in NATO for Ukraine is a realistic result of a negotiated regulation. »»
His comments came shortly before Trump’s announcement on his Truth social platform that he had had a “long and productive” telephone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
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“We want to stop the millions of deaths in the war with Russia / Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong “common sense” campaign motion motto. We both believe in it very strongly. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting the nations of each other, “wrote Trump.
“We have also accepted that our respective teams immediately start negotiations, and we will start by calling President Zelenskyy, from Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, which I will do right now.”
Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, then supported pro-Russian separatists in an armed insurrection against the kyiv forces in the eastern region of Donbas in Ukraine.
Moscow currently controls 20% of the territory of Ukraine, mainly in the east and in the south.
As part of Ukraine’s security, HegSeth said that if NATO troops were deployed as a soldier of peace in Ukraine at any time, this should be done within the framework of a non -nato mission , it is therefore not covered by article five.
Article five is a fundamental principle of NATO, often called “collective defense”.
Under the article, an attack on a member of NATO constitutes an attack on all and will cause a joint response from the military alliance.
Article five was only activated once, when European allies and Canada used the collective security guarantee to help the United States as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Al-Qaeda.
The United States has also used Reunion in Brussels to remind those who present Trump’s renewed calls to members to contribute more for Defense.
All members of the Alliance should respond to a reference of expenses at least 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in defense.
In recent months, however, Trump has said that more should be spent.
“Two percent are not enough. President Trump called 5% and I agree, “said Hegseth.
“Increasing your commitment to your own guarantee is a deposit for the future. A deposit, as you said, Mr. Secretary [Mark Rutte]peace by force.
The United States itself does not currently meet at this rate of five% expected by Trump.
European allies have increased their military budgets since Putin ordered her troops in Ukraine, and 23 of them have reached or exceeded last year’s goal of spending two% of the gross domestic product, but One third is still short – including Canada.
Some American allies fear that a hasty agreement may be won under terms that are not favorable to Ukraine.
Before Hegseth spoke, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told the Associated Press that Putin would only negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine if his donors continue to provide enough weapons and of ammunition.
–with Reuters and Associated Press files
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