United States tells Ukraine: No NATO membership and no American troops

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made it clear that Ukraine will not be joining the NATO anytime soon, nor will United States troops be deployed in the country.

Speaking at the 26th meeting of the Ukraine defence contact group in Brussels, Hegseth stressed that any future peace agreement must acknowledge that returning to Ukraine's 2014 borders, including Crimea, is not a realistic goal.

He also reinforced the Trump administration's stance that European nations must take greater responsibility for their own defence, suggesting that any future security guarantees for Ukraine should rely on European troops rather than NATO forces.

Additionally, Hegseth echoed President Donald Trump's call for a significant increase in military spending among NATO members, hinting at a new benchmark well above the previous two percent goal.

These statements mark a clear shift in United States foreign policy, prioritising border security at home and strategic deterrence in the Pacific over European commitments. For now, it remains to be seen how NATO allies will respond to this new approach.