Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, recently addressed the complex issue of Ukraine's territorial integrity and its potential NATO membership. During a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels, Hegseth emphasized the impracticality of expecting Ukraine to revert to its pre-2014 borders, prior to Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Hegseth stressed that establishing a durable peace in the region requires a realistic assessment of the battlefield dynamics. He noted that chasing the goal of returning to pre-2014 borders could unnecessarily prolong the conflict and increase suffering. Russia currently controls a significant portion of Ukraine's territory, mainly in the east and south, following the annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and subsequent support for pro-Russian separatists.
Addressing the topic of NATO membership for Ukraine, Hegseth downplayed its feasibility, suggesting that it is not a realistic outcome of any negotiated settlement. Instead, he proposed that robust security guarantees should be established to prevent the recurrence of war. These guarantees should involve capable European and non-European troops, deployed as peacekeepers in a non-NATO mission, without invoking Article 5 of the alliance's mutual defense clause.
Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, who prioritized ending the war initiated by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, there has been criticism of US military aid spending for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, expressed readiness to negotiate a peace deal with Russia from a position of strength.
In an interview with the Guardian, Zelensky mentioned his willingness to consider a territory exchange with Russia, offering land occupied in Russia's Kursk region since a surprise offensive six months ago. He emphasized the importance of all Ukrainian territories and hinted at offering US firms lucrative contracts to aid in Ukraine's reconstruction, potentially aligning with Trump's interests.
