Pentagon Chief Says Trump Is Not Betraying Ukraine
Pete Hegseth stated that the US leader's phone call with Vladimir Putin is “recognition” that Washington is interested in negotiated peace. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The recent phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin signifies the United States' commitment to pursuing a "negotiated peace," as stated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth defended Trump against accusations of "betraying" Ukraine, asserting that engaging in dialogue with Putin is a path toward peace. These remarks came after their first known conversation since the Ukraine conflict intensified nearly three years ago.
On the same day as the phone call, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky warned in an interview with The Economist that peace talks excluding Ukraine would pose a serious threat.
Ahead of a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, Hegseth dismissed the idea of betrayal, emphasizing that the US and the global community are invested in peace. He remarked, “There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace.”
Following a 90-minute discussion with Putin, Trump announced that negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict would commence "immediately," and he mentioned the possibility of meeting Putin in Saudi Arabia for follow-up discussions, although Moscow has yet to confirm that location for the summit.
The Kremlin echoed Trump’s sentiment, stating that Putin believes it is time for Russia and the US to collaborate. The Russian leader emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying issues of the Ukraine conflict and expressed that a long-term resolution could be achieved through peace talks.
Before the call with Putin, Hegseth clarified the US’s negotiating stance, indicating that Ukraine must recognize that a return to its pre-2014 borders is "unrealistic." He also noted that NATO membership for Ukraine is not a likely outcome of the discussions and dismissed the possibility of deploying US peacekeepers in the region.
After his conversation with Putin, Trump reached out to Zelensky to discuss the potential peace settlement, describing their exchange as having gone “very well,” and highlighted Zelensky's desire for peace.
Zelensky has previously maintained that any agreement must safeguard Ukraine's territorial integrity. Last week, he indicated a willingness to consider territory trade if Trump were able to facilitate talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia has insisted that any peace discussions must acknowledge the current realities on the ground and has dismissed the idea of a territorial exchange with Ukraine.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
Hegseth defended Trump against accusations of "betraying" Ukraine, asserting that engaging in dialogue with Putin is a path toward peace. These remarks came after their first known conversation since the Ukraine conflict intensified nearly three years ago.
On the same day as the phone call, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky warned in an interview with The Economist that peace talks excluding Ukraine would pose a serious threat.
Ahead of a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, Hegseth dismissed the idea of betrayal, emphasizing that the US and the global community are invested in peace. He remarked, “There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace.”
Following a 90-minute discussion with Putin, Trump announced that negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict would commence "immediately," and he mentioned the possibility of meeting Putin in Saudi Arabia for follow-up discussions, although Moscow has yet to confirm that location for the summit.
The Kremlin echoed Trump’s sentiment, stating that Putin believes it is time for Russia and the US to collaborate. The Russian leader emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying issues of the Ukraine conflict and expressed that a long-term resolution could be achieved through peace talks.
Before the call with Putin, Hegseth clarified the US’s negotiating stance, indicating that Ukraine must recognize that a return to its pre-2014 borders is "unrealistic." He also noted that NATO membership for Ukraine is not a likely outcome of the discussions and dismissed the possibility of deploying US peacekeepers in the region.
After his conversation with Putin, Trump reached out to Zelensky to discuss the potential peace settlement, describing their exchange as having gone “very well,” and highlighted Zelensky's desire for peace.
Zelensky has previously maintained that any agreement must safeguard Ukraine's territorial integrity. Last week, he indicated a willingness to consider territory trade if Trump were able to facilitate talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia has insisted that any peace discussions must acknowledge the current realities on the ground and has dismissed the idea of a territorial exchange with Ukraine.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
