The American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, defended President Trump’s conversation on Thursday on Ukraine with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, saying that it was “no betrayal” of Kyiv even if no representative of This country has not participated.
The call on Wednesday, that Mr. Trump described the start of a negotiation to put an end to the war in Ukraine, was the first known conversation between the Russian and American leaders since Mr. Trump’s return to the White House last month. He has shown concerns among certain European leaders that Ukraine could actually be sidelined in any peace negotiation.
“There is no betrayal there,” said Hegseth, speaking when he arrived for a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. “It is recognized that the whole world and the United States are invested and interested in peace, a negotiated peace.”
He said that only Mr. Trump, who held a separate call with Mr. Zelensky after talking with Mr. Putin, was able to summon the powers that could bring peace.
The appeal between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump took the alarm in part because the Ukrainian and European leaders have insisted on the fact that he should not be on talks to end the war in Ukraine who does not imply Ukrainian representatives. Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, reiterated this position when he arrived in Reunion in Brussels, saying that it was crucial that Ukraine was closely involved in all discussions on his future.
The remarks of Mr. Hegseth one day came after declaring that the United States did not support the desire of Ukraine to join NATO as part of a peace plan and that a return to the borders of the ‘Ukraine before 2014 – when Russia annexed Crimea – was “unrealistic”.
On Thursday, he repeated calls to NATO members to increase their military spending beyond 2% of the gross domestic product and aim for 5%, saying that Europe must advance in leadership and ensure security guarantees.
But Mr. Hegseth also offered a solid defense of the NATO alliance and the role of America.
“America is right alongside our allies to NATO to make sure to stay strong and that this conflict ends,” he told Brussels.
This message is likely to reassure the NATO countries, which were shaken when Mr. Trump said during his first mandate that the United States could withdraw from the alliance.
