Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Belgium last week to participate in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group—a gathering of officials from countries supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia. He delivered there a clear and rational explanation of the Trump administration’s policy on this conflict.
“The bloodshed must stop,” he said. “And this war must end.”
He then argued it was not realistic to believe Russia could be forced to surrender all the territory it has occupied in Ukraine.
“We will only end this devastating war—and establish a durable peace—by coupling allied strength with a realistic assessment of the battlefield,” said Hegseth. “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…
