IRIA News

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made his first visit to the NATO headquarters on February 12, 2025, to address the general assembly of NATO defense chiefs. The visit comes at a time when allies are desperately waiting for clarity from the new Trump administration on the military and financial support for Ukraine.

While speaking at the gathering of NATO defense chiefs in Brussels, Hegseth called on the allies to ramp up their defense spending and ensure security in Europe.

“We are at a critical moment. As the war approaches its third anniversary, our message is clear: The bloodshed must stop, and this war must end,” Hegseth stated, emphasizing that a durable peace in Ukraine could only be achieved by merging allied military strength with a realistic battlefield assessment.

UK convenes Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting

At the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers’ meeting, the 26th session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was convened. Over the past three years, approximately 50 countries have contributed over $126 billion in weapons and military aid to Ukraine through the platform which was established and chaired by the former U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The UK is leading the 26th Ukraine Defence Contact Group today, the first European nation to do so.

The Defence Secretary @JohnHealey_MP has arrived in @NATO HQ along with over 40 partner nations demonstrating our unwavering support for Ukraine in this critical year. 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/BOuFd5aYNQ

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 12, 2025

Conventionally the meeting of the contact group took place at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, however, for the first time since its inception the contact group meeting was hosted by the United Kingdom at the NATO headquarters as the new U.S. Defense Secretary has not shown any interest in heading the group like his predecessor. No decision has been made regarding who will chair the next meeting, or when it will be convened.

No membership for Ukraine

Hegseth reaffirmed the United States’ stance on Ukraine’s NATO membership, stating that such an outcome would not be a “realistic” part of any negotiated peace settlement with Russia. His remarks signaled a shift in U.S. priorities under President Donald J. Trump’s administration, highlighting diplomacy and European responsibility over direct U.S. intervention.

“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering,” he said.

Instead of NATO membership, Hegseth proposed robust security guarantees for Ukraine, backed by capable European and non-European troops. However, he made it clear that if such troops were ever deployed as peacekeepers, they would operate under a non-NATO mission and would not be protected under Article 5 of the NATO treaty. “To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine,” he added.

Hegseth’s trip to the NATO headquarters coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, the two leaders discussed and agreed to “start negotiations” toward ending Russia’s war with Ukraine.

European defense chiefs raised concerns about potential negotiations on the Ukraine war between Russian and U.S. leaders, sidelining the Ukrainian leadership. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO and whether it should concede any territory should not be decided before peace talks start.

Pistorius told reporters he regretted what he called concessions made by the United States ahead of any potential negotiations, referencing comments by Pete Hegseth regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership.

“There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine. And Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks,” British Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters just ahead of the ministerial meeting.

Luxembourg’s Defense Minister Yuriko Backes told reporters that all allies need to continue to support Ukraine. “There are talks about peace plans. Nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine at the table. Nothing about European security should be decided without Europeans at the table,” Backes said.

Ramping up defence production is a top priority for NATO to keep our one billion people safe 🛡️#DefMin pic.twitter.com/O9PlHdQY5V

— NATO (@NATO) February 13, 2025

Rutte said NATO allies are also not producing enough in terms of military production, saying alliance members need to get more output from their huge industrial base to keep up with China, Russia, and others.

European money for Europe’s security

Hegseth’s speech at NATO underscored a growing expectation from the new Trump administration for European NATO members to bear the burden of defending the continent. He called for an “overwhelming share” of both lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine to come from European allies, arguing that they must “meet the moment” by expanding their defense industrial bases, donating more ammunition and equipment, and increasing their military spending.

“Safeguarding European security must be an imperative for European members of NATO,” he stressed. “Part of this is speaking frankly with your people about how this threat can only be met by spending more on defense.” Reiterating Trump’s call for a major increase in military budgets, Hegseth stated, “2% is not enough; President Trump has called for 5%, and I agree.”

Despite the strong call for greater European responsibility, Hegseth acknowledged some positive steps taken by NATO allies. He praised Sweden’s recent $1.2 billion assistance package to Ukraine and commended Poland for already spending 5% of its GDP on defense, calling it “a model for the continent.”

Additionally, he pointed out that 14 NATO countries are co-leading Capability Coalitions to coordinate Europe’s contributions of lethal assistance across eight key military capability areas. “These are the first steps. More must still be done,” he said.

Focus on China and domestic security

During his speech at the meeting of NATO Defense Ministers, Hegseth highlighted a strategic pivot in U.S. defense priorities, shifting attention toward securing American borders and deterring potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific region. “We’re also here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe,” he said.

Pointing to threats posed by China, Hegseth underscored that the U.S. must “prioritize deterring war with China in the Pacific” while recognizing resource constraints and making difficult trade-offs. “As the United States prioritizes its attention to these threats, European allies must lead from the front,” he declared. “Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximizes our comparative advantages in Europe and the Pacific respectively.”

Hegseth’s comments came amid growing concerns over Russia’s intensified military buildup. A recent report from the Danish Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS) warned that Russia could launch a war against one or more European NATO countries if it perceives the alliance as “militarily weakened or politically divided.”

The report stated that Russia has transitioned from a military reconstruction phase to an aggressive expansion effort, bolstered by economic and material support from China, as well as troop and weapons assistance from North Korea and Iran. “During 2024, this effort has changed its nature from a reconstruction to an intensified military buildup to be able to wage an equal fight against NATO forces,” the report noted.

Visit to Germany and Poland

Ahead of attending the ministerial gathering in Belgium, the Pentagon Chief made a stopover in Germany, where he visited the U.S. military base. About two dozen U.S. citizens living at the military base protested and booed at Hegseth as he arrived at the U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany,

Following the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, Hegseth headed off to Poland for what the Pentagon said would be talks with leaders about “bilateral defense cooperation, continued deterrence efforts along NATO’s eastern flank, and Poland’s leadership as a model ally in defense investment and burden-sharing in NATO.”