Return to before 2014 the borders of Ukraine “unrealistic”, says the US Secretary of Defense

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The US Secretary of Defense said on Wednesday that it is a return to the borders of Ukraine before 2014 is an “unrealistic goal.”

Donald Trump has pledged to end the war that lasted for nearly three years as soon as possible, as many European NATO allies, who are afraid they would be forced to accept a peace agreement, not the terms of Ukraine.

“We want you, like you, Ukraine with sovereign and prosperous,” said Beit Higseth in Brussels. But he added that returning to the borders of the country, before the Russian annexation of the Crimea and the actual occupation of the East Dunbas region, was “an unrealistic goal.”

He added: “The pursuit of this imaginary goal will only lead to the prolongation of the war and cause more suffering.”

The Minister of Defense’s comments came at a meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Communication Group (UDCG), the Ukraine Arms Coordination Authority in Brussels.

The Trump administration calls for a rapid end of the Ukraine war, a major shift from former US President Joe Biden, who committed to financing Kiev Al -Harbi’s effort during the deployment of sanctions against the Russian economy.

In another sign of the disposal of the Chervene, Trump’s Steve Wittouf’s Trump envoy traveled to Moscow on Tuesday to secure his release Mark VogelAn American teacher who has detained him in Russia since 2022.

Kyiv called on NATO membership as a final security guarantee against the Russian aggression in the future.

But at a meeting of more than 50 Western allies sending military support to Ukraine, Higseth said: “The United States does not believe that NATO membership in Ukraine is a realistic result of settling negotiations.”

He also ruled out the deployment of American forces in the country after the war with Russia.

“It must support any security guarantee by the European and non -European forces,” he said, adding that the forces deployed in Ukraine should not be part of any NATO task, and are not covered under the mutual defense item in Article 5 of the Alliance.

His comments were frustrated and disappointed in Kiev, where senior officials said they would work to find alternative security arrangements with European allies.

Higseth also reiterated a letter from Trump that the United States needs European allies to spend more on their defense and stop relying on American support for their security.

“The United States will not tolerate an unbalanced relationship that encourages dependency,” he added.

But UK Defense Minister John Healy said during the meeting that the United States would show a “constant commitment” to UDCG.

Haley said: “It is a pleasure for him to join him, Amin (United States Defense) (Beit) Higseth, who this morning assured me of the United States’ continuous commitment to this UDCG.”

Trump has previously warned that he could suspend arms shipments to Ukraine.

Additional reports by Chris Miller