The new US defense chief Pete Hegseth has caused a stir with his recent comments ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine. In a meeting with the military alliance in Brussels, Hegseth stated that Kyiv’s goal of returning to its borders prior to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea was deemed as an “unrealistic objective.” This has raised concerns about a shift in Washington’s stance towards Ukraine and Europe.
Furthermore, Hegseth emphasized that the focus of the United States is no longer on supporting Europe or Ukraine’s security. Instead, he indicated that European countries would need to provide the majority of funding for Ukraine moving forward. This marks a significant departure from previous US policy and has left many wondering about the implications for the region.
In response to these developments, Russia rejected a proposal by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to swap Ukrainian-occupied territory in Russia for Ukrainian soil occupied by Moscow. This offer has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between the two countries and the complex dynamics at play in the region.
To gain further insight into these issues, DW spoke to defense analyst Rafael Loss from the European Council on Foreign Relations and Andras Racz from the German Council on Foreign Relations. Both analysts provided valuable perspectives on the implications of Washington’s policy shift and Zelenskyy’s offer for the future of Ukraine and Europe.
As the situation continues to evolve, it is clear that the US’s stance on NATO and Ukraine is undergoing a drastic transformation. This raises questions about the country’s commitment to its allies in Europe and the implications for regional security moving forward.
Watch the video by DW News
Video “Is the US turning its back on Ukraine and Europe with drastic shift on NATO? | DW News” was uploaded on 02/12/2025 to Youtube Channel DW News