US Defense Secretary Hegseth: Ukraine cannot return to 2014 borders

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke after his first meeting with NATO members.

The American official has stated that everything must be done to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, writes skynews.

"The bloodshed must stop," he declared, adding that US President Donald Trump wants to end the war through diplomacy.

In comments that are sure to cause shockwaves in Ukraine and Europe, Hegseth says it is unrealistic for Kiev to return to its pre-2014 borders.

"The United States does not believe that Ukraine's membership in NATO is a realistic outcome of a negotiated agreement," he adds.

To clarify, he says, as part of any security guarantee, "we will not send American troops to Ukraine."

He now moves on to how the US will continue to support Ukraine.

"Ensuring European security should be an urgent task for European NATO members. As part of this, Europe should provide the vast majority of future lethal and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine," the minister declared.

He says the US focus is on China and protecting its borders.

"As the US turns its attention to these threats, European allies must lead themselves," the Secretary says, adding that he still expects the alliance to survive, but it requires work.

He specifically mentions defense spending targets: "The United States will no longer tolerate an unprecedented relationship... that encourages dependency. Instead, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to take responsibility for its own security."

Hegseth says European allies must enter the arena and "take responsibility for conventional security on the continent." /Telegraph/