Trump says Biden's NATO commitment to Ukraine incited conflict
US President Donald Trump has attributed the conflict to the backing that his predecessor, Joe Biden, has given to Ukraine's efforts to join the bloc. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
US President Donald Trump has attributed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine to his predecessor Joe Biden’s support for Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO, reinforcing his previous assertion that the conflict would not have occurred during his presidency.
“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” Trump remarked on Thursday.
He further claimed, “And long before President [Vladimir] Putin, Russia was very strong on the fact. I believe that’s the reason the war started, because Biden went out and said that they could join NATO, and he shouldn’t have said that.”
Trump also endorsed the comments made by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding Ukraine's NATO membership prospects, calling them “pretty accurate.”
While addressing the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth stated that Ukraine’s membership in NATO would not be part of any peace agreement and ruled out the deployment of US troops to the region. “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” he said.
However, Hegseth later slightly revised his statements, clarifying that the final decision on such matters rests with Trump. In a media briefing on Thursday evening, he mentioned, “I’m not going to stand at this podium and declare what President Trump will do or won’t do, what will be in or what will be out, what concessions will be made or what concessions are not made.” Despite that, he described his view on Ukraine’s NATO prospects as “what’s likely” and reflective of the “hard-power realities on the ground.”
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” Trump remarked on Thursday.
He further claimed, “And long before President [Vladimir] Putin, Russia was very strong on the fact. I believe that’s the reason the war started, because Biden went out and said that they could join NATO, and he shouldn’t have said that.”
Trump also endorsed the comments made by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding Ukraine's NATO membership prospects, calling them “pretty accurate.”
While addressing the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth stated that Ukraine’s membership in NATO would not be part of any peace agreement and ruled out the deployment of US troops to the region. “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” he said.
However, Hegseth later slightly revised his statements, clarifying that the final decision on such matters rests with Trump. In a media briefing on Thursday evening, he mentioned, “I’m not going to stand at this podium and declare what President Trump will do or won’t do, what will be in or what will be out, what concessions will be made or what concessions are not made.” Despite that, he described his view on Ukraine’s NATO prospects as “what’s likely” and reflective of the “hard-power realities on the ground.”
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
